The Program for Recovering Nurses (PRN) is a confidential alternative to formal disciplinary action offered by the Idaho Board of Nursing. This program monitors impaired nurses suffering from chemical abuse or dependency, mental health issues, or behavioral problems. The PRN works in conjunction with the Idaho State Board of Nursing to assist in the education of nurses and employers regarding provisions of the Nursing Practice Act and providing a safe environment in a health care setting.
The Board believes that nurses who acknowledge that their practice may be impaired as a result of chemical dependency or mental conditions and who are actively engaged in recognized recovery methods and as a result do not represent a threat to the public, should be allowed to continue practicing nursing. In order to assure public safely, the Board supports monitoring of these nurses outside of the process of formal disciplinary investigation and action under provisions that assure support of recovery and prevention of relapse.
The purpose of the program is to assist nurses and their families in identifying alcohol, drug, or behavioral problems that pose a potential threat to that nurse, the family, or the patients. The PRN will work to identify and facilitate acute treatment and to provide long-term support for the nurse to return to a productive place within his/her profession. While the program provides no direct counseling, treatment, or aftercare services, it does support and endorse the development of self-help groups at the local level.
The PRN is a resource for nurses, their families, colleagues, and other affiliates. Disciplinary action does little to intervene in the disease process and may frequently be counterproductive to identification and professional reintegration. Treatment has proven to be effective for both the individual and society. By providing nurses an opportunity to enter into treatment and to recover from their diseases early in the disease process, the PRN can serve to minimize negative impacts on the nurses, patients/clients and their families and friends.
The Program for Recovering Nurses receives financial and staff support from the Board for Nursing and from individual nurses enrolled in the program. Enrolled nurses are responsible for many of the costs of treatment and recovery, including costs related to assessment, hospitalization, counseling, aftercare, random testing, and others.
“Research repeatedly has shown that physicians generally fare much better than the general public following addiction treatment. Although accommodations may be needed (e.g., decreasing hours or eliminating night shifts), approximately 75% to 85% are able to return to work, do not use drugs, and lead a productive life. As a result, it has been suggested that this PHP treatment approach (including drug screening) should be implemented as the standard of care for all individuals with suspected addiction, not just physicians.”
Successful Treatment of Physicians With Addictions
Psychiatric Times. Vol. 26 No. 9 August 28, 2009
Five Year Outcomes of Physicians With Addictions
BMJ 2008;337:a2038
Self-Referral: A nurse, or agent of the nurse (colleague, family member, friend, or employer) may contact the PRN if the nurse has not been reported to the Idaho State Board of Nursing. The PRN will monitor the recovery contract of the nurse, and if the nurse maintains compliance with that contract, the Board of Nursing will not take any action against their license.
Nursing Board Referral: The Idaho State Board of Nursing will refer a nurse, if a formal complaint has been filed or if the nurse has voluntarily surrendered his/her license to the Board of Nursing. If the nurse is compliant will all conditions of the monitoring contract, there will be no record of formal disciplinary action taken by the Board of Nursing.
Visit the Idaho State Board of Nursing
There are a number of forms utilized by Southworth Associates in monitoring PRN participants. As a service to our Nurses, we have made some of these forms available (PDF format) for download at their convenience:
PRN Employment Information Form
PRN Release of Information Form
PRN Yearly Prescription Update Form
PRN Client Activity Report (CAR) Form
From time to time we get some additonal information that we feel may be useful to program participants. As a service to our Nurses, we have made some of this information available for download at their convenience:
Medications containing alcohol
Guide to Alcohol-Free Products
Southworth Associates is a proud member of both the Association of Intervention Specialists (AIS) and the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP).
