help me understand this - alcohol testing

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I was diagnosed with cancer and had multiple surgeries with complications....long story short I got addicted to Norco. I never diverted meds or got in trouble at my job, in fact in over 10 years never been written up at a job EVER. I self reported etc. Now I will be starting TPAPN and I can understand drug testing but why do they alcohol test as well? I mean I can't have a glass of wine with dinner because 7 years ago I was addicted to Norco? I never had a problem with alcohol. I'm just confused as to why they do it? Maybe someone can help me understand it better. I'm starting to wonder if I want to go through with doing this now. I have a lot of hoops to jump (taking a refresher course - 3 months long and clinicals - 80 hours) because it's been so many years since this happened. And I don't mind doing the classes or clinicals, paying for a drug and alcohol eval and even having stips I just don't understand the alcohol portion of the stips.

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when you get put in TPAPN- everyone is lumped together into the same program- there is no individualizing anyone's program- everyone gets tested for drugs & alcohol. you say you were addicted 7 years ago- if you no longer are- why would you self-report to TPAPN? however, if you have already reported yourself, i don't think they will let you back out or change your mind.

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I self-reported 7 years ago and then just put my head in the sand and did nothing about it. I've since hired an attorney to get a modification of my orders etc. I'm thinking about just changing my mind and not even doing nursing again, not changing my mind about the TPAPN. But thanks for your answer that makes complete sense, I just wasn't grasping it I guess. I haven't worked in 7 years period because my husband wanted me to be a SAHM, but now my daughter is grown with a baby of her own and I get bored so I thought about getting back into it. At this point I think I might just be off to volunteer somewhere to get out of the house a few hours a week.

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Remmsyaya: if you just need something to do to get yourself out of the house, & don't need a nursing job to support your family- if i were you, i would find something else to do rather than take on TPAPN!! JMO- we'll see what others have to say. but there is no way i would go through the ordeal of a monitoring program just to get out of the house. volunteer work sounds great- & is a great thing to do!!

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Thanks TXRN2, I found out about noon that I can't do the refresher course anyway because it's too long and too far from home for the in-class and the board won't let me do correspondence, so I have my answers. I will volunteer or look for a part time job. I would love to volunteer at a LTC and play bingo with the residents and paint ladies nails etc but I wonder if they would allow me too.

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Specializes in Na.

I agree with Txrn2. TPAPN is not easy and I feel somewhat demoralized fairly regularly. Granted I got myself into this but I feel that the difficulty of TPAPN is actually making feel pretty depressed. JMO, but if you don't need it, don't do it.

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Sober,

I'm sorry :( and I was worried about that myself. I guess it just wasn't meant to be and now I can stop wondering "what if" and move on with life. I also wondered at my age and with health problems if I could even stand up to working as a nurse on my feet all day etc. It would be a shame to spend all that money on attorney, classes, hotels etc and not even be able to with stand the job duties.

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A remmsyaya- i bet they would love to have you!!

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Why did you self report, since your job performance was not affected? I'm suspecting you felt you would be 'taken into the fold', 'have the wagons drawn around you', so you could be nurtured back to health by your friends at the BON? "With friends like that, you don't need enemies.' - Author Unknown

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