New Grad in recovery, is PNAP mandatory?

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I am about to graduate from nursing school. I have been sober for almost 8 years. All of my past criminal charges have been expunged. I have been told that I may be placed on PNAP d/t my past hx of substance abuse. Is this true? I just find it hard to wrap my head around the idea that I have this much time in recovery and having to follow such a strenuous program at this point.

Please, if you have any suggestions please let me know. I am in PA

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Women's Health, LTC.

Consult an attorney.  IMHO, if NOTHING shows up anywhere to say you were ever in rehab or trouble, then CLAM UP!! DO NOT EVER TELL the BON that you have a past history.  It does not matter HOW long you are sober, they will put you in a program.

If your arrest record is expunged, SAY NOTHING!  Continue on with your sobriety and congratulations on both that and becoming a nurse!

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I agree with the above.  Keep quiet!  Sober for 8 years is an awesome accomplishment, don’t give them any reason to make you undergo monitoring.

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I am in PNAP so I’m pretty familiar with them. Please consult an attorney. I promise it’ll save you a lot of grief. Not sure where in PA you are, but there is an excellent Philadelphia based attorney that will come up first with a Google search. If you have any more questions, I am here! Congrats on your sobriety & graduating!! 

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Specializes in tele, ICU, CVICU.

As a current enrollee in PNAP, avoid it at all costs, if you can.  If you are 100% sure you're records are clean & nothing exists they could find,  I'd keep quiet.  Because if you lie on your application to take boards and they find out, that doesn't look good to them. 

Also, who is telling you that you may have to be enrolled with PNAP?  Obviously somebody knows of the history with ETOH.  I'd avoid telling anyone (instructors, fellow classmates etc) unless you trust them with your life.  You'd be surprised how horrible some people can be, make a complaint or something to the BON.  

but congrats on both being almost done & 8 years! ?

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Specializes in icu.

I pay to have an extensive background check done on myself before if I was you, and if you need to consult a criminal attorney who deals with expungement issues.  Good luck!

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@futurenurse123456

Hope everything is going well!

Any update on your situation? I imagine if you submit your fingerprints with your application that your BON would be able to see everything, including expunged charges. Let me know though please! Similar situation here...

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If you have a clean record I wouldn’t say anything at all.

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Yes, you will have to disclose majority of hospital’s and health care facilities it says on their application have access to sealed or expunged records as well as the boards especially since your involved in direct patient care. 

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Specializes in Justice ⚖️ Nursing.
futurenurse123456 said:

I am about to graduate from nursing school. I have been sober for almost 8 years. All of my past criminal charges have been expunged. I have been told that I may be placed on PNAP d/t my past hx of substance abuse. Is this true? I just find it hard to wrap my head around the idea that I have this much time in recovery and having to follow such a strenuous program at this point.

Please, if you have any suggestions please let me know. I am in PA

Just wondering if all turned out well?

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