Hannah Burrow looks at how to manage the condition in the workplace.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common condition, with an estimated 2.6m people in the UK living with it. Because of its prevalence, it is important that dental professionals understand the disorder and the impact it may have on peoples’ lives. ADHD symptoms are varied, depending on the person. Sometimes, this means that people aren’t diagnosed until later in life, forcing them to live with the condition without effective management.
To help people gain a better understanding, symptoms can be broken down into two sections: inattentiveness and hyperactivity. Inattentive symptoms may lead to difficulty concentrating and focusing. The main signs include having a short attention span, forgetfulness, being unable to carry out tasks which are tedious or time-consuming, difficulty with organisation and many more. On the other hand, hyperactive signs may include fidgeting, trouble concentrating on tasks, excessive moving and talking, interrupting and more.
What are the challenges?
Challenges experienced by people with ADHD in the workplace may make some routine tasks difficult. For example, the condition may cause difficulties with concentration and activation, meaning that planning and getting started on tasks can be hard, particularly with laborious activities.
Aside from these issues, there is still a stigma attached to ADHD. Many children with the condition are labelled as ‘naughty’, which can go on to affect their self-esteem and dismiss the challenges they face, worsening their condition and preventing them from finding constructive solutions. Going into adulthood, this can impact their self-belief and can make areas such as education and work more challenging.
However, there are a number of traits associated with ADHD which may actually be beneficial in the workplace. These include the ability to hyperfocus on interests, thinking outside the box, being motivated by deadlines and many more.
Dental professionals with ADHD
While professionals may have considered the impacts that the condition can have on patients, looking after their oral hygiene and attending regular appointments for example, it is also important to understand the effects that ADHD can have on members of the dental team – including the ability to carry out administrative duties.
While some of the symptoms of ADHD can mean that dental professionals with the condition are good in a crisis, they may struggle with the more repetitive and time-consuming aspects of the role. Because of this, it is important to make reasonable adjustments in the practice to improve the situation for the individual. Workplaces which offer structure, stimulation, and regular feedback are likely to help colleagues with ADHD thrive, whereas long periods of isolation and monotonous tasks may not be ideal for some people. Additionally, offering visual prompts and physical reminders can be helpful for colleagues to manage their workload, as well as reducing distractions and providing clear written instructions with regular short breaks to help manage longer tasks.
Carrying out monotonous tasks
While people with ADHD may have the ability to hyperfocus on some tasks, it can make it very difficult to concentrate on things which are monotonous and time-consuming. This might make the more repetitive aspects of administrative duties challenging. When working for extended stretches on a computer, for example, people with ADHD may find it difficult to remain focussed on one task, which might mean that things are missed, or mistakes are made.
There are a number of techniques people might try to combat this. Some research recommends working for shorter stretches (around 25 minutes) and then taking five-minute breaks to split up longer tasks and keep focused. This can help prevent the fatigue of staring at a screen for too long. Some people may find using a standing desk helpful, to vary posture, or using deliberate fidgeting strategies to increase neuro-stimulation and improve focus. These strategies may be helpful for clinicians when note taking. Traditionally, note taking is a very time-consuming task, which can make it challenging to stay focussed, increasing the risk that some important information may be missed. By improving concentration, they will be able to more effectively carry out this administrative duty, without putting excessive strain on themselves.
By reducing the amount of time that clinicians need to spend taking notes, Kiroku is a digital note taking platform which helps complete notes 60 per cent faster. Kiroku offers clinicians dynamic and clickable templates for a wide range of case types to make note-taking simple, with the option to build your own template or convert your existing templates for a bespoke experience. Kiroku also makes it easier than ever to delegate note-taking to dental nurses with a straightforward and logical workflow which follows the structure of the appointment and offers helpful reminders.
While clinical note-taking can be a time-consuming task at the best of times, for colleagues with ADHD, it may be very challenging to remain focussed on what can be a repetitive duty. By implementing or recommending reasonable adjustments to make day-to-day responsibilities easier, individuals will be able to carry out their work more effectively without the worry that they are making mistakes.
For more information visit trykiroku.com
References available on request.