tpapn patient login

What is tpapn and how do I apply?

TPAPN is a program of the Texas Nurses Foundation , in cooperation with the Texas Board of Nursing. For nurses participating in TPAPN who demonstrate financial need, the Texas Nurses Foundation offers grants for the initial evaluation. For more information about the grants, and to download the application, click here.

What does tpapn do to safeguard patients?

TPAPN Mission TPAPN safeguards patients by providing early identification, support, monitoring, accountability and advocacy to Texas nurses who have an identified substance use and/or mental health condition or related incident, so the individual may practice nursing safely. Helping nurses | Safeguarding patients

What is a tpapn peer support partner?

Peer Support Partners are an integral part of TPAPN and TPAPN’s recovery support services. Anyone can refer a nurse to TPAPN. Get help for yourself, or refer a peer, colleague or loved one.

What is the tpapn’s policy on mental health participants?

Mental health participants must follow the recommendations of a psychiatrist or therapist; Return to Work; must obtain written authorization from the TPAPN case manger to return to work and shall have restrictions on practice

What is a TPAPN?

TPAPN provides a variety of services to help nurses recover from substance additions and mental illnesses. If you have a drug, alcohol, or mental problem that affects your ability to perform your job as a nurse, then the TPAPN program may be for you. Some of the key aspects of this rehabilitation program include: 1 Identifying appropriate treatment 2 Helping nurses undergo appropriate treatment with supervision 3 Self-help groups 4 Practice restrictions and Return to Work conditions 5 Drug screening 6 Progress reporting 7 Minimum of 2 years participation

What is an advocate for a nurse?

Advocates can assist the nurse by serving as a role model and a friend during the recovery process. The Case Managers have the education and clinical expertise to assist the participating nurse as well as serve as the liaison to the nurse’s employer. If an employer refers a nurse to TPAPN, Texas state law provides civil immunity for all reports ...

What is TPAPN in Texas?

TPAPN is a non-profit program and a project of the Texas Nurses Association (TNA); an approved peer assistance program that operates under the Health & Safety Code, Chapter 467. This program is designed to help an impaired professional whose ability to perform a professional service is impaired by chemical dependency on drugs or alcohol or by mental illness. TPAPN maintains confidentiality consistent with State and Federal laws.

What is the benefit of TPAPN?

The major benefit of TPAPN is that a nurse can voluntarily enroll in this recovery program in lieu of facing disciplinary action by the licensing board. After successfully completing the program, a rehabilitated nurse may return to regular practice.

What does TPAPN report to the board?

TPAPN Staff must report to the nurse’s employer, as well as the Board if the nurse is noncompliant, has a positive drug screen , withdraws from the program, or moves out of State. If the nurse is a self-referral, TPAPN Staff will report the nurse to the Board only if the program determines that the nurse may be an immediate threat to themselves or others. This program is voluntary and unless the nurse can admit to having a problem and commit to the recovery process through TPAPN, then TPAPN may not be the program for them.

How does TPAPN work?

By choosing to participate in TPAPN, a nurse must agree to the following terms: Assessment and Treatment; must obtain assessment (s) to determine eligibility and must obtain appropriate treatment and remain in treatment until approved for discharge;

Can a nurse be a TPAPN?

Any nurse who has been diagnosed with a substance abuse problem, chemical dependency, or mental illness may voluntarily enroll in TPAPN. There are two ways that one can be recommended to the program: the nurse may report himself or herself for participation, or an employer may make the recommendation on the nurse’s behalf.

What is a TPAPN evaluation?

TPAPN facilitates formal evaluations of potential participants by approved evaluators to determine substance use and mental health diagnoses (if any), appraisal of ability to provide safe care, and treatment recommendations. You are responsible for all costs related to the evaluation, including pre-evaluation drug screens. TPAPN does not provide treatment and relies solely on recommended evaluators for those recommendations. The evaluator will utilize the TPAPN Participation Guidelines Matrix (TPAPN Matrix) to help determine the individualized monitoring components to be included in your Participation Agreement. For more details regarding the TPAPN Matrix, please see the “TPAPN Participation Guideline Matrix” section. TPAPN maintains a list of approved evaluators. Evaluators are selected based on a combination of objective criteria, experience, and expertise. Approved evaluators keep TPAPN informed, including advising the program if the individual is reluctant or refuses to fully participate in the evaluation or does not complete the evaluation. Whenever possible, your TPAPN case manager will provide you with a choice of approved evaluators. There is no financial or business interest between TPAPN and an evaluator. If you disagree with the evaluation recommendations, or if the evaluation recommendations do not reflect the seriousness of the circumstances of the event(s), a second opinion and/or more thorough and complete evaluation may be required.

What is a case manager in TPAPN?

Upon referral to TPAPN, each nurse will be assigned a Case Manager who is responsible for providing support, guidance, and accountability through the enrollment process and monitoring. The Case Manager serves as a liaison between participants, treatment providers, evaluators, peer support partners, and employers. Once a Participation Agreement is signed, the Case Manager will provide ongoing support and monitor the nurse’s program adherence, abstinence, work performance, and progress in recovery.

What is TPAPN in Texas?

The Texas Peer Assistance Program for Nurses (TPAPN) is a program of the Texas Nurses Foundation (TNF), the charitable, professional, and public education and scholarly branch of the Texas Nurses Association. TPAPN was created in 1987 in response to legislation addressing the need for rehabilitation of nurses experiencing impairment due to substance use or mental health conditions. TPAPN is an approved peer assistance program per Chapter 467 of the Health and Safety Code and promotes safe nursing practice by providing an alternative to disciplinary action through rehabilitation. Participation in TPAPN is voluntary and provides an opportunity for nurses to demonstrate abstinence through participation in monitoring.

What is the purpose of a nurse safety program?

To promote patient safety through a program that provides early identification, support, and monitoring for nurses who may be unsafe to practice due to a substance use and/or mental health condition or related incident

Why are CRNAs at higher risk for relapse?

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) CRNAs may be at higher risk for relapse because of their access to controlled substances, anesthesia medication, variable work schedules and practice autonomy. For this reason, criteria have been established that will enable the CRNA to transition to clinical practice more effectively with the greatest degree of long-term support through accountability and documentation. In regard to both practice and monitoring, TPAPN follows The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists’ (AANA) substance use disorder guidelines, which includes the following (in addition to standard requirements of all nurses participating in TPAPN):

How long can you take a mood enhancing medication?

Frequent or extended use (over 30 days) of any mood-altering medication may require consultation and/or approval by a TPAPN-recommended provider board-certified in addiction medicine. If you are requiring repeated or long-term use of a potentially impairing and/or potentially abusable medication, you may not be appropriate for participation in TPAPN. The following categories of prescription drugs are potentially abusable and/or impairing: all opioid pain relievers (includes tramadol), barbiturates, sedative-hypnotics, benzodiazepines, tranquilizers. Note that certain medication like ADHD medications may be allowed with supporting documentation from an appropriate prescriber, often a specialist. Refer to the ‘Talbott Medication Guide for a Safe Recovery’ available on the internet and on TPAPN’s participant portal (SPECTRUM) for a more detailed list of medications.

What is a TPAPN?

TPAPN safeguards patients by providing early identification, support, monitoring, accountability, and advocacy to Texas nurses who have an identified substance use or mental health condition or related incident , so they may practice nursing safely.