Hello,

This is my first time posting to this site. I have been a long time lurker as of recently where I have found some useful information from nurses in similar situations; but what I have not seen anyone talk about is the waiting process to get on TPAPN.

Here is a little background: I was on board order for a year, completed 9 months, then was referred to TPAPN by the BON. I have waited almost a month since the new board order for TPAPN was ratified and still have not heard anything from the BON or TPAPN. I was given 45 days to sign with TPAPN as per the new board order, however I have not received anything from the BON or TPAPN to start this process and I do not want to be non-compliant with this new order. I have seen posts where nurses would be referred to TPAPN and then are able to return to work within 2 weeks! I am just wondering if anyone has experience with this? I feel like I'm just waiting ominously.

Since I have been anxiously waiting I called TPAPN to ask how to start the process and they told me that I should be receiving something in the mail or a call from the intake department from TPAPN. I will be contacting the BON Monday to see if anything has been processed. If anyone has experienced this and has some advise please let me know. Thanks.

If anyone reads this, I had contacted the BON and they said that papers should have been sent 4 weeks ago, but TPAPN never received anything, so all they can do is send it again... I've been waiting for nothing really...

That stinks!!!! It is very frustrating dealing with all powerful BON! Just chalk this up to lesson learned and keep on going. You can do it!

Thank you for the words of encouragement. That's all I can do is attempt to keep my head up and move forward since I can't stay in bed crying all day (although I wish I could).

Just wondering how things are going?

Just wondering how things are going?

Well I just received my letter from TPAPN and sent in the enrollment fee yesterday. Now I'm wondering how long it will take before I can go back to work. I have been waiting so long already. I just can't wait to go back to nursing. I know I will be the happiest nurse out there when that time cones.

i was not board ordered into TPAPN, but this is how it worked for me. towards the end of IOP- my therapist signed a form releasing me to return to work, & i was able to start looking for a job. good luck- a TPAPN case manager should call you- & you should find out then if you can start looking. sorry- but i don't know how it works when you are board order into TPAPN.

\ said:

I was not board ordered into TPAPN but this is how it worked for me. towards the end of IOP- my therapist signed a form releasing me to return to work, & I was able to start looking for a job. good luck- a TPAPN case manager should call you- & you should find out then if you can start looking. sorry- but I don't know how it works when you are board order into TPAPN.

Thanks for the input. I'm sure it's the same process once you get into tpapn. Do you mind me asking how long was your iop? I'd just like to gauge how much longer I will be waiting until I go back to nursing. I'm currently working a job that pays 1/3 of what I was making and my lease is up next month. Problem after problem but this will soon pass.

my IOP was 5 or 6 weeks. at about the end of the fourth week- she signed my return to work form & assisted me with advice about what jobs to look at (dialysis, not med-surg or ICU, some clinic jobs, some mental health positions...) there have been several threads/posts on this forum about what jobs can fit within the restrictions of TPAPN or other states monitoring programs- they are basically the same. good luck- hang in there!! this will all pass, as you said!

i am very proud of you and wish you the best. please keep us posted

just wondering- was there a reason they changed you from being board ordered to going into TPAPN?

just wondering- was there a reason they changed you from being board ordered to going into TPAPN?

I feel a bit reluctant to just put it all out there, but I want to see what you guys think. Maybe I can get some words of advice. So here it goes...

I received a controlled substance charge when I was 17. The sad part is that it wasn't even mine. I found out who my real friends were quickly and was never around that stuff again.

I went on with my life wanting to do something great. I remembered the nursing profession had a huge impact on my life. Long story short, I was in a car accident where everyone in the back seat was ejected out of the back window. I was life flighted, and woke up in the ICU days later, with my jaws wired shut, to a nurse taking care of me and assuring me I was going to be ok. I decided that's what I want to do with my life. I wanted to give back the nursing care I once had received and wanted to make that great impact on someone else's life as that nurse has done for me (little did I know my past from when I was 17 was still going to haunt me).

I graduated nursing school with honors (8 years after the charge) and was board ordered for a year (UAs and quarterly evals) due to the charge that happened when I was 17.

I found a great job right out of nursing school. I had it made (so I thought). I was doing great 9 months in on board orders, had a great job with great reviews from the docs, patients, and admin (and was even nominated for employee if the month- I know, big deal? But, at that time, still considered a new nurse, it was a big deal to me), I had a loving boyfriend, we got our own place in a hip part of town, went to the nicest restaurants, went shopping and hung out with friends frequently. Then my boyfriend proposed to me. I was living the good life. I felt like I was on top of the world. We had so many great future plans, everything was looking up for us.

We went to go have a celebration dinner with the parents and I made a life changing decision. I wanted to be a part of this celebratory toast. I wanted to celebrate our plans to be with each other for the rest of our lives. I had 2 glasses of wine with dinner. I rationed that I wasn't doing anything more than any other outstanding citizen and that I would be ok. Wrong. Tested the next morning and days later received a notice in the mail that I was positive for etg.

I have to say it is one of the most, if not the most regretful decisions I have ever made. I spiraled through all the stages of grief. I felt my life was over. I had this constant feeling of impending doom. There was always a tightness in my chest. I couldn't believe that something that happened when I was 17 is haunting me this bad and holding me back from being successful. There hasn't been a day where I haven't thought about what a ****** person I am. I'd say just having to await my fate for an unknown amount of time and unsuccessfully looking for menial jobs is punishment enough. I was at my all time low.

Now, 4 months later, I'm 3 weeks into my part time job making 1/3 of what i was making and I'm finally getting my letter from tpapn. I'm slowly crawling out of this dark hole I was in and hoping for the best.

ok- now i see, & this is why i asked that particular question. what is holding you back now is not the incident from whatever many years ago- it is the decision you made to take that drink just a short while ago when you were under board order to abstain from alcohol & drugs. sorry- i don't mean to sound harsh- but those are the facts. that said, i think it is highly likely that TPAPN will require you to go through IOP- which will mean it will be several weeks into IOP before you will be released to look for a nursing job. i'm sure you already know this- but the entire time you are in TPAPN, you must be 100% drug & alcohol free. you must celebrate any & all wonderful events in your life without alcohol!! best of luck- & do keep us posted.