What Coworkers Need to Know Texas Peer Assistance Program for Nurses (TPAPN) A program of the Texas Nurses Foundation

 Board of Nursing (BON) approved  Alternative, voluntary program for LVNs, RNs  Available to eligible nurses who may benefit from peer assistance services  Returns nurses back to practice  Promotes professional accountability and protects the public

 Recovery is confidential, but not secret  Protected health information regarding TPAPN participants is protected under Texas State law/HIPAA

 No access to abusable medications - e.g. counting narcotics, administering narcotics, witnessing wastage, receipt from pharmacy  No on-call duty

TPAPN nurses are not approved to work if:  In an autonomous or unsupervised position  Shifts longer than 12 hours  For multiple employers or in self-employed practice  In short-term staffing or work as a traveler  Out of predetermined area (Floating)  More than 96 hours per two week pay period  At various practice sites, without BON approval

 Supervisors will designate a coworker to handle abusable medications for the TPAPN nurse  In exchange, the TPAPN nurse provides care and treatment for patient(s) assigned to the coworker

 TPAPN nurses may have to leave work for a short time for drug testing  Participants with positive drug screens must immediately discontinue nursing practice

 Now: Voice your concerns with your direct supervisor  Later: Educate yourself about TPAPN, substance abuse and psychiatric disorders in the workplace at

 Employer/Supervisor  Case Manager  Volunteer Nurse Advocate  Sponsor (if in 12-step recovery)

 Ensure your workplace has a TPAPN Advocate  Become an Advocate: volunteer with TPAPN  Be the “peer” in peer assistance and witness positive transformations of the human spirit!

Thank you!