Nurses with ADD/ADHD?

Nurses Stress 101

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Hey all! I was wondering if there are any nurses with ADD/ADHD out there who want to comiserate and support each other? I know I need the help/advice. It might also be a place for "regular" people (I hate the word normal) to come and read and understand what its like for us. Or ask us ?'s.

I'll start with an intro:p I'm 29, and I've had an official diagnosis for less than 2 years, but have been trying to find the answer (for what's up with me) for MUCH longer than that:uhoh21: :) I currently work night shift at a drug rehab and on call at a nursing home. I have a lot of trouble in staff meetings - sitting through them, being treated like a brat because I actually show some emotion. I had much difficulty in school, (I didn't know back then), not with grades but with social stuff. I almost got kicked out of school because of the problems I was having.

But its not all bad. I'm funny and creative and often am able to connect with my patients in unique ways.

So we'll see how many of us there are out there?:)

:o I've decided to give up nursing because it seems like no matter what I do I make medication errors. Even though I went back and took the RN refresher course and passed the MEDICAL/SURGICAL certification (with special accommadation is why) I just don't want to hurt anyone.
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my husband was diagnosed with add when he was a teenager, and he insists that he no longer has add. However I am unsure if something like that ever really goes away. He has always had trouble with school, and till this day he has yet to finish because he has trouble concentrating and getting tasks done in school. It's kind of frustrating because I feel like he still has to deal with this issue but he insists that nobody will believe he has add

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oh by the way he use to have to take ritalin when he was younger but he stopped taking them all together when he came to college. Can he really just not have ADD anymore?

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jh479352

Please do not give up!!!! There is another area of nursing that needs you, your talents, gifts, and skills. Find it. I felt the same way after losing jobs (prior to becoming a nurse, and then can you imagine how devestating it was to lose my first job as a nurse!!!)because of inability to focus and organize. I was ready to give up too, but I found I was better suited to long term care. Working in a nursing home provided opportunity to use skills, but at a slower pace, especially when working night shift. Before you give up, search out other areas of nursing.

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care.

I was reading some of the post and wanted to make a comment on a few posts. I recently purchased an audio book Driven to Distraction it covers a lot of information on ADD but it also talks about our society and obsession with time, fast paced, and right now mind set. Based upon our societies expectations ADD can be misdiagnosed the author rights about it as Pseudo ADD. Here is a link to an excerpt I found. PBS - frontline: medicating kids: readings: pseudo-add

Please dont misunderstand what I am trying to say. ADD can also take different forms I myself am ADD I am not outgoing, or very talkative. Most of the time I am lost with what is going on around me and often spend my time just trying to catch up (when I am not day dreaming).

Any way, I also wanted to vent about somthing. If you dont mind. In addition to ADD I am also Dyslexic over the years I have learned different technics to surrvive accademically. One thing that bothers me at work and school is when people make comments like " sorry, I had an add moment" or "a dyslexic moment" for me its not just a moment its a lifetime. Sorry about the venting. I was jsut kind of wondering if any one else felt the same way.

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jh479352

Please do not give up!!!! There is another area of nursing that needs you, your talents, gifts, and skills. Find it.

:yeahthat:

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Specializes in ortho/neuro/general surgery.

I'm not diagnosed with ADD/ADHD but good golley I swear I got it. If another nurse is giving oral report near where I'm sitting getting report, I am constantly tuning in to them. I get easily distracted by other nurses, pt's tv's, forgetful... yada yada yada... My report sheets are always a mess. Concentration... forget it... mind wanders like crazy. :monkeydance: Glad I'm not the only one.

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I can relate to piling things up at the front door and mutli tasking at home but when it comes to giving medications I miss some. Have you got ways that you use when you give meds at work so you wont make a mistake. I am going thru menopause and its a know fact that adhd meds don't work as well when you in menopause. I've really decided to quite nursing. It is a huge loose to give up my lively hood but I can't go on making med errors. I also have dyslexia so that is a determential factor as well. Thanks for any suggestions or how you do it.

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I certainly can. Having ADHD and dyslexia and going thru menopause is not working for me so unless I can do nursing that does not involve giving medications; I will try doing doggie day care. If anyone knows the official name of the nursing consulting job over the phone please let me know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in M.S, CORR, LTC, Sub. Abu, ER.

hello all,

does any one have any info concerning the add act??

i think i might have been discriminated against in nursing school!!

thanks for you help in advance!!

linda

you can pm me.

no. but it's commong knowledge amongst my coworkers that i'll either be very early or pretty close to being late. i leave at the same time. i live about 3 km from my hospital job and i give myself 45 minutes to get there and i drive. i don't take any add meds. i never reacted well to them. both of my jobs make accomodations for me and understand me pretty well. not that i make excuses for myself and blame add. but sometimes we all have to face the facts. i have to work hard at making sure i don't screw myself and the my jobs shouldn't expect me to go above and beyond. i probably wont ever get a student. been there done that and what a disaster!!! :lol2: if we are short staffed, dont' ask me to do more than i'm barely capable of doing. sure i'll try my best but i'll forget about that. both my jobs know not to schedule me for day shifts and i am able to handle the odd evening shift. they know that i'm not on any meds. and i take responsibility. if something doesn't make sense, then i make sure i check with someone else. if that means calling another unit or calling the manager on call (because unfortunately, i'm usually "charge nurse") for procedural advice then so be it.

also, remind yourself of your talents. we're completly different people from the "norm" but we do have skills that the "norm" do not have. so, be proud of them. take this time to reflect and find ways to take responsibility for your add. tell them what you need and accept nothing less. we don't need too much extra. just "accomodations" to make our life a little easier. i was given four calendars from each of my jobs and unions. great. i chose the best one that was easy for me to recognize and not misplace. i use a lot of post it notes. i have an unlimited supply of pens. my coworkers know to give me a chance to sit down and get my paperwork done because i would rather "goof around" then do paperwork. my coworkers also know how to talk to me because apparently i think i'm always right. and they don't hassel me too much when i'm late. i don't make a big stink when others are late. but they also know that i can handle emergency situations very very well. and my "always right" attitude makes me a good advocate to the docs.

it's hard having add. it's harder knowing that things wont go my way. but that's my life and it's worked so far.

try not to let it get you down. you are a special person. you just got to find a way to make it work for you. i know that if they see you trying your best to perfect your skills, they'll understand you more and be more willing to help.

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Thats too bad that you decided to leave school, but you can always go back if you feel confident. Maybe if you do something related for a while you can get better with certain skills. I know that when I was held back a semester, although I was very mad and felt stupid, it helped a whole lot because I knew what to expect when I went back and how to be prepared.

:o I've decided to give up nursing because it seems like no matter what I do I make medication errors. Even though I went back and took the RN refresher course and passed the MEDICAL/SURGICAL certification (with special accommadation is why) I just don't want to hurt anyone.
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Thats good to hear. I was just offered a job in long term care, and they seem to really accommodate people like us, even their orientation is extra long!

jh479352

Please do not give up!!!! There is another area of nursing that needs you, your talents, gifts, and skills. Find it. I felt the same way after losing jobs (prior to becoming a nurse, and then can you imagine how devestating it was to lose my first job as a nurse!!!)because of inability to focus and organize. I was ready to give up too, but I found I was better suited to long term care. Working in a nursing home provided opportunity to use skills, but at a slower pace, especially when working night shift. Before you give up, search out other areas of nursing.

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