Coaching nursing students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in clinical settings: A case study

Abstract

Up to 18% of undergraduate students have some form of learning disability, with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) being the most common subtype. Some of these students enter nursing programs. Post-secondary institutions are developing processes to help students overcome traditional academic challenges, however, the demands of clinical practice courses are not easily modified. Effective performance in clinical settings requires nursing students to develop sophisticated executive functions for organization, prioritization, and managing distractions, all of which present considerable challenges for students with ADHD. We present a case study to illustrate the coaching intervention we adapted from the education literature for a nursing student with ADHD who was struggling in clinical practice courses. The most effective coaching strategies helped the student to harness his energy and enhance focus on the task at hand.