4 minute read
#DriveChange
TPAPN CHAMPIONS MENTAL WELLNESS FOR NURSES
By Brittney Majefski, MSN, RN, PMH-BC, TPAPN Program Director
WHEN IT COMES TO ADVOCACY in nursing, the place to be is the Texas Nurses Association’s annual conference. Texas Peer Assistance Program (TPAPN ) for Nurses had the great privilege to exhibit a booth and giv-e a poster presentation at the 2024 conference. The environment was stirring, with nurses from all backgrounds coming together to learn, network and advocate for the profession. Upon arriving, we walked into an impressive environment bustling with over 400 nurses. Within minutes, the positive energy in the exhibit hall was radiating with passionate nurses working to #DriveChange and make positive contributions to the profession. Our team showed up with great enthusiasm to share all the things that TPAPN is doing to help support nurses struggling with mental health conditions or substance use disorder (SUD).
Our team engaged in constructive and dynamic conversations with nurse leaders, directors, direct care nurses, educators, advocates, and more around how we can work together to ensure that our nursing peers that are struggling with SUD or mental health conditions get the support and help they need to be healthy, recover, and stay in practice. These discussions gave TPAPN a platform for discussing topics such as stigma, the effects of trauma, advocacy, and overall well-being within the profession.
Discussions gave TPAPN a platform for discussing topics such as stigma, the effects of trauma, advocacy, and overall well-being within the profession.
In addition to both exhibiting and attending all the amazing conference sessions, we represented TPAPN during the poster presentations. TPAPN has partnered with Texas Tech Health Science Center to discover how the pandemic played a role in the recovery of nurses within the TPAPN program. Dr. Wanda Hilliard is leading the project as we try to engage all nurses and get their perspective on what most benefits them in relation to interventions for overall well-being and mental health, as well as the role trauma may play in SUD or the mental wellbeing of nurses.
We want to hear directly from nurses to ensure that nurse voices are represented at the table when efforts are made to support effective prevention strategies and overall wellbeing in the profession.
The TNA conference was an incredible experience for those who are working to #DriveChange in all things nursing. The networking that TPAPN was able to do here has led to many positive opportunities to spread awareness about TPAPN’s program and the work we do through guest lectures and presentations throughout the state. We also had nurses applying to become peer support partners.
We are grateful to TNA, TNF and all Texas nurses for leading the way in fostering positive change. Every nurse can step up and stand up for peers that need help. By working together, improving resources, and fostering supportive environments for nurses to seek help, we can keep #DrivingChange.
Here at TPAPN there are opportunities for nurses across the state to get engaged and volunteer as peer support partners. Our peer support partners are assigned to nurses that are in the TPAPN program and serve as a beacon of support and hope throughout the nurses’ journey to recovery. If you are interested in hearing more about volunteering to help fellow nurses, please reach out to us. We offer training and free CE in relation to our peer support program.
Texas Peer Assistance Program is a nonprofit, referral-based program of the Texas Nurses Foundation. We are the alternative to discipline program for nurses in the state of Texas. If you or your organization would like to learn more about the TPAPN program or get involved, we would love to come talk to you. Reach out at tpapn@texasnurses.org and let us know how we can help.
