The diagnosis less traveled: NPs' role in recognizing adult ADHD

PURPOSE: To stimulate critical thought about sociocultural implications of unrecognized and undiagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and how these factors interface with healthcare delivery models and care that nurse practitioners (NPs) provide. DATA SOURCES: Health science databases--Psych Info, Proquest, Sage, PubMed, and authors' professional experiences. CONCLUSIONS: NPs, often the main healthcare provider for underserved populations in community practice settings, have little training in assessing adult ADHD. ADHD, often unrecognized and undiagnosed among adults, contributes to global impairments adversely affecting individuals' social, behavioral, academic, and cognitive functioning. Increased insight and awareness about adult ADHD is warranted to facilitate appropriate diagnosis. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: ADHD is found in all sectors of our society; however, assessment and diagnosis among those whose socioeconomic status limits access to resources is a problem. Working in integrated care clinical settings facilitates recognition of patient problems and colocates resources required to manage the ADHD patient effectively. While this practice model may not be the norm, it is critical for NPs to have: (a) heightened awareness of the presentation of adult ADHD; (b) skills and/or resources to facilitate proper diagnosis of adult ADHD, and (c) models of practice that support optimal NP care delivery.