TPAPN- Nurse Recovery Meetings

Nurses Recovery

Published

Hi everyone,

I am a nurse in recovery in the DFW area, Texas. I am not in TPAPN as I never got caught and do not plan on returning to work in the ER. But I do plan on going back to work at a treatment facility, detox center or some sort of addiction/recovery nursing at some point. I have been trying to find a meeting for recovering nurses/healthcare providers around Dallas Ft. Worth area with no luck. I know there have to be meetings and am wondering since I am not in TPAPN maybe that's why I don't know about them. Would I be welcome at these meetings if I am not in TPAPN? Would I be reported to TPAPN by others or facilitators of the meeting by my being there and opening up that I am in recovery from addiction?

Any information you guys have would help me tremendously. Thank you so much!

FHL18

Specializes in ER.

Hey Justme, I noticed you're online but I am too new to send a PM I guess. I tried but it said until I start 15 new threads I cannot PM. Bummer. I don't know how else I can get in touch with you as I don't think we are allowed to put phone numbers/emails etc on this thread. Any ideas? Are you in the DFW area too? Did you self report to TPAPN or got reported by a third party?

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Specializes in Oncology.

Both really. I got fired from my job and they are in the process of reporting me to the board. I called to self report and TPAPN said it was double paperwork and wouldn't matter in the end so I'm waiting for the paperwork to go through. Looking into AA and NA meetings but they are sort of few and far between. I don't think it really touches on the same kind of addiction. I know critics will say that all addicts are the same but there IS a difference. Not better or worse, just...different. That's why I was looking for a nursing support group in addition to AA/NA meetings. Oh...and I'm just east of Dallas.

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Specializes in ER.

I understand what you are saying as far as not better or worse, just different. I attend a meeting called DAA (drug addicts anonymous) and I have also attended NA and AA periodically. Would love to discuss this in more detail when we can connect in a not-so-public forum. And I have met nurses when I went to rehab but I have yet to meet one around DFW, and as we nurses know, the discrimination among healthcare professionals is 10 times worse than how the public even views addicts. THere is zero sympathy, compassion…just 100% intolerance. This is why I wanted to find a meeting specific of healthcare providers because it truly is different what we experience, and nurses are scared to death to ask for help. I know I was, and felt SO incredibly alone while in active addiction. It shouldn't be so. Nothing about the nursing field makes it easy to ask for help, and that only puts the public more at risk too in my opinion. I want to eventually reach out and help other nurses and educate others more because it shouldn't be this way. The last statistic I read was 1 in 7 nurses has a substance abuse problem, so why isn't anyone doing anything to change this? It's putting everyone at risk and nurses just are too scared to reach out and ask for help because they are rejected by everyone in their field and feel completely ostracized from colleagues, like it's just a moral problem, not a disease. And that's ridiculous.

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Specializes in ER.

It would be great to meet up and share our stories.

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Specializes in Oncology.

You said it girl! Maybe we could pick a place to meet up and avoid sharing personal info. Maybe a Starbucks or something. I don't know how else to do it. What do you think?

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

There just has to be a "cadeusus" meeting in DFW area

i advise strive for mature sobriety, I found NA and AA helpful...

just keep to your priority , and best wishes

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Specializes in Oncology.

I've searched and searched for a caduceus meeting and nothing.

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Did you ever find a meeting for nurses in recovery? I know of one in the Dallas area but it's more of a support group to help nurses deal with tpapn issues and finding work while in tpapn or with board ordered restrictions, not so much about recovery itself. Although all the nurses who attend are in recovery so obviously that's an acceptable topic to discuss there.

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Specializes in Oncology.

I did...and I was able to meet some amazing people. Yes, we talk a lot about TPAPN and finding work but those are 2 major things going on in our lives as addicts and alcoholics. We talk about recovery and see different people at different stages of their TPAPN journey. It is a very uplifting meeting and support group. I consider these people part of my family and it has been amazing.

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Where are these meetings in dfw. I'm fixing to have a restricted license and need help finding a new job. Thanks

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Specializes in med/surg.

From experience- TPAPN involves monthly repetitive paperwork about 30 pages of it that you fax or mail in, you have to call every morning for 2-3 years to see if you have to give a urine(if you miss its positive) miss calling I mean, you can only work certain shifts. It's horrible and doesn't even apply to most people in the program 90 meetings in 90 days with signatures. I had a positive urine for a med I had a script for and wasn't even taking when I moved here from PA and got forced in that program before they would grant me that license. Also did I mention you have to pay for the urine specimens, deal with requisitions. Keep it to yourself and noone will know. Good for you for and keep up whatever you are doing to stay clean. Good Luck. It does work for some people this is just my opinion, if someone reported you in Texas to the board already, and they let you work it will probably be on the condition that you comply with TPAPN.

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Specializes in Oncology.

Hey if you're on here anytime soon try and shoot me a pm and I'll give you the info.

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