TPAPN and the Board of Nursing

I think it is time for a discussion concerning how TPAPN is being used by the Board. I would like to see this be a public meeting so that nurses affected and also, defense counsel are allowed to bring forward the problems they experience or see.

Personally, I am seeing too many cases where nurses that are not appropriate for TPAPN are being referred there by the Board. The nurses frequently will agree to TPAPN because they want to get the issue resolved with the Board or because they do not know what being in TPAPN involves or they do not know that there are other options. These nurses then get into TPAPN and they do not fit.

I have seen nurses referred to TPAPN that have years of sobriety (TPAPN is geared more towards new addicts) or that have no chemical dependency problems or they have mental health issues that are under control and do not require monitoring. It appears that when the Board is overloaded or not sure what to do, they refer to TPAPN; that may not be the case, but that is exactly how it is appearing. Inappropriate referrals are not a good use of TPAPN's time or resources. It is interesting to note that the annual TPAPN audit was performed and is being presented to the Board at the July 17-18, 2008 meeting. Within that audit it is noted that TPAPN staff noted that the BON is sending fewer "nurses with histories that raise questions of current impairment."

The last poll was interesting, so how about another one? This poll is for nurses that are not in TPAPN or that have never been in TPAPN. I want to know if you were offered to go to TPAPN to resolve an allegation of substance abuse or mental illness before the BON, would you understand what would be required of you in the TPAPN program? This is a fair question because the program is not explained to nurses prior to them being offered the TPAPN option.