Orientee with untreated ADHD

[ICU.RN23]

Hello all! I've been working as an RN on an ortho/neuro/trauma med/surg floor and I've had one orientee that was AMAZING!! She worked on our floor as an aide so she was knowledgeable on our floor. My current orientee told me that she knows she has ADHD and isn't taking anything for it. I'm having a hard time with her because she doesn't focus, she forgets what I tell her, and she tells me she's not scared or nervous of anything. I feel like I need to stand next to her with everything that she does and she doesn't give me a chance to explain since she's going a million miles a minute. She's already on shift 11 out of 30 and I would love some advice on how to change my preceptor skills to accommodate her.

[Nonyvole, BSN, RN]

And sandwich the constructive criticism! Good thing - bad thing - good thing. Really, it doesn't matter if they have ADHD or not; that method seems to get through to my preceptees the best.

Unless they're about to make a dangerous mistake. Then there isn't any time for that.

[Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM]

Hello all! I've been working as an RN on an ortho/neuro/trauma med/surg floor and I've had one orientee that was AMAZING!! She worked on our floor as an aide so she was knowledgeable on our floor. My current orientee told me that she knows she has ADHD and isn't taking anything for it. I'm having a hard time with her because she doesn't focus, she forgets what I tell her, and she tells me she's not scared or nervous of anything. I feel like I need to stand next to her with everything that she does and she doesn't give me a chance to explain since she's going a million miles a minute. She's already on shift 11 out of 30 and I would love some advice on how to change my preceptor skills to accommodate her.

Not all ADHD has to be treated. I have it and I'll tell you exactly why I don't get it treated...I'm more productive with it.

So, that is her choice. She doesn't have to get it treated if she doesn't want to.

However, as her preceptor you need to take control of the situation. If you start to explain something and she starts before you finish say, "Stop...part of being an RN is knowing how and knowing why..I really need for you to let me finish my instructions before you start any procedures. I also want you to go over with me what you are getting ready to do BEFORE you start anything."

If she keeps it up, then have another discussion with her.

If she keeps it up, then start documenting it. That way if this becomes a problem in her work, you have given an objective feedback, constructive criticism, and objective documentation...everything else is an opinion. So what if she isn't scared? As long as she does things correctly she should not be penalized for having confidence.

PS: Most people that claim to have ADHD have never even been diagnosed with it.