Role of the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Nurse Prescriber in Adult ADHD Clinic

  • The CNS will carry out your initial assessment which will include a full mental health assessment, screening for other mental health conditions and an ADHD diagnostic interview.
  • In addition you will fill out self-rating scales like quality of life and how you function in areas of life.
  • The CNS will ask that you bring someone along like a family member, partner or close friend or someone you trust. This helps provide important childhood history and present day observations.
  • Your assessment with the nurse will last between 2 -4 hours and may need two separate appointments.
  • Following this the nurse meets with the consultant psychiatrists who will meet you and review the assessment details.
  • After a diagnosis of ADHD is confirmed the nurse will talk through your diagnosis with you and provide information about ADHD.
  •  The nurse will go through treatment options with you. The nurse will provide you with verbal and written information on medications available to treat your ADHD . The medications options are discussed based on each individual case and the nurse will develop a treatment plan with you
  • The nurse will monitor your medication for benefits and side effects and will provide prescriptions according to individual need.
  • The nurse will identify and refer you to the appropriate profession within the team based on your needs, as part of your treatment plan.
  • The nurse will refer on and advise on other services that may benefit you with your agreement, for example advice/supports in college, ADHD Ireland, addiction services.
  •  The nurse will monitor and plan your discharge from the team in conjunction with other members of the team.
  • The nurse will arrange your assessment and reviews by appointment and will where needed provide phone support in between planned appointments. 
  • Your treatment plan will be shared with your adult mental team as needed as part of the service provision.