NJ Board of Nursing - What the Heck?

U.S.A. New Jersey

Published

So I know that the NJ BON is notoriously bad. My husband graduated from nursing school in 2009 and had a six week wait, and my mother-in-law graduated in 2010 and waited two months from start to finish. Knowing this, I sent my paperwork in back in April. I tracked it as being received by April 16th. Check was cashed April 30th. Paperwork was entered into system May 14th. I was expecting about a two month wait once everything was received, and I was prepared for it.

It has now been three months, and I still have yet to receive my fingerprinting paperwork. I somehow got my ATT at the end of June, took my boards a few days later and passed, but they still haven't processed the fingerprinting paperwork. I've repeatedly called because I start my RN job on the 25th, and the BON just keeps saying that they've implemented a "new procedure" that makes them even slower than usual (awesome time to implement it, when everybody's graduating).

It's so frustrating, because I know that I'll have a wait for scheduling my fingerprinting, and then it'll be weeks after that is received by the BON before I get my license. I expected it to take a couple of months; now I'm looking at four (an optimistic outlook) or five months at least that it will take to get my license. I got a great job at a trauma center in south Jersey, and I'm not going to be happy if I lose it because NJ can't send out fingerprinting paperwork.

Does anybody have any suggestions on how to light a fire under these people? I don't understand why it is so difficult to send out one bloody letter that says, "you can schedule your fingerprinting." To still be waiting for that after three months is asinine. I'm so frustrated. :madface:

Hello,

I am having similar issues with NJ BON :(!!!!

I took my test and Passed FEB 14th 2015....I had to drive to Newark ( FEB 18)to pick up my finger printing letter ( SMH) because after four weeks of waiting I never got it...and I was not risking waiting for someone to get back to an "email request" from the call center to print it.

My question is how long from the fingerprinting process before I start calling them? I have seen background taking 4-6 weeks?!?! Yikes! I was told 2-3 and sometimes it doesnt take that long. I call them like everyday... As I missing jobs due to no number. I applied walk in to a couple of places and I attached my quick result pge to my resume... I am beginning to think maybe I should just wait till I have my actual number. I lost one job already :( at a sub acute facility, which would have been PERFECT.

I know it will be too soon for them to have gotten my fingerprinting as I just did it yesterday ( drove 1hour away as the closest appt to me I would have had to wait 1.5 weeks!) but still plan to call today just to make sure I am not missing anything. I am a CNA and my fingerprints I did last year June... They said were not acceptable because that has nothing to do with the Board of nursing ( smh) and the dept of health overseas CNA's and they will not give them access to my prints! How bizzare.

I guess like everyone else I just have to wait and stay on top of them...

Specializes in Orthopaedics.

Flyersfan88. I am making the trip to the bon tomorrow. What would you suggest I say to them to get my board approval moving? That is all I am waiting for to receive my att! Any time you call they say, "you just have to wait, it can take up to 30 BUSINESS days." They apparently think I don't understand the concept of business days lol. Thank you!

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Flyersfan88. I am making the trip to the bon tomorrow. What would you suggest I say to them to get my board approval moving? That is all I am waiting for to receive my att! Any time you call they say, "you just have to wait, it can take up to 30 BUSINESS days." They apparently think I don't understand the concept of business days lol. Thank you!

30 business days is approximately 6 weeks. ATT are issued after the application is complete and fingerprint letter sent out. Sometimes the hold up is the verification of graduation from the school.

Once everything (application, school letter verifying graduation, NCLEX passed, background check clear and complete) then the board meets to approve applications. With paper applications it was 4-8 weeks post passing NCLEX. Now it's around 3 weeks post passing NCLEX.

It's NJ. Nothing is quick except the governor to deny or yell at someone

I just applied for endorsement in NJ I hoping that the process will be less exausting

Extremely frustrated with NJ BON. I graduated this May and submitted all of my paperwork on May 11. My school sent out letter of completion first week of june and took until 6/12 for BON to process it! I am still waiting for my ATT when some of my peers in a nearby state have already taken and passed the NCLEX!! Any way to put some pressure on them to speed things along? I have a job lined up requiring a hard copy of license by August 15. The woman I spoke with this morning from the BON had the nerve to say "Yeah, we tell people not to get jobs because the process takes a while" SERIOUSLY?!?

I made an appointment but its like 2 weeks away and im getting sick of waiting. if i just go to a location and try to get fingerprinted do i have to cancel my old appointment? thank you in advance

i applied for endorsement july 1. I was wondering how long it took for you to receive your license? thanks

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
I made an appointment but its like 2 weeks away and im getting sick of waiting. if i just go to a location and try to get fingerprinted do i have to cancel my old appointment? thank you in advance

Depends on the site, I assume you are referring to fingerprinting. Some are appointment only. Other are walk ins if there is a no show. One site took walking but all appointments were prioritized so walkins could wait a couple of hours which is still better than 2 weeks

I applied in Jan 2015 for endorsement. They finally cashed my money order for my fingerprints July 9th. As of yesterday I was still being told to wait. I read on here that emailing works. I emailed the contact from the application. I received a respone an hour later that they would forward it. Today I received another email that my concerns were forwarded to the endorsement department. I check 10 mins later and my fingerprints are now completed. I'm hoping in a few days I will have the number.

Specializes in LTC, Med-surg.

The BON NJ is so slow and inefficient. It is now 2015, you would think they would have a better system for granting people licenses. I passed NCLEX 18 days ago and I have not received my license number yet. The lady that I spoke to say it will take a maximum of 25 days for them to process my nclex results and generate license #. What the....I just can't even comprehend that when I sent everything else months in advance. This is just a horrible experience. I wish I went with getting a Pennsylvania license instead because the wait is so frustrating. If there is no license number, I might just drive up to Newark to speak to them personally.

Many people post that they have gone to the BON in Newark and left with their license number in hand. I am a NJ resident endorsing from PA. I began my application on July 1st. Everything is checked off except for board approval and the items that do not apply to me. I am considering driving up to Newark to test my luck.

To those who have been successful: what exactly did you say when you arrived at the board? How long after having the items from your checklist completed did you decide to take a ride to BON? I call about once a week lol. I really need this license number!

Specializes in LTC, Med-surg.

Just an update: 23 days later and my license is officially posted online! WOO HOO. I was actually contemplating on driving there on Friday if it wasn't posted but I'm glad I saved a trip to Newark. :D

+ Add a Comment