KathyMomRN

I think it's usually within the first few weeks to ensure the hair test matches your stated history. If they find a discrepancy you are in for 5 years.,

They do a hair test so anything you took in the last 6 months will show up. If you can just stop taking the pain meds, what haven't you? No offense but I have seen many people say they are not addicts...addiction is a disease of denial so they won't take just your word for it. Especially since you have been arrested twice before. Any arrest is a red flag but 2 arrests screams at them. Remember the BON has a duty to ensure all nurses are safe to practice: RAMP is hired to ensure that. They are not your friend or advocate. If they find inconsistencies in your story you will be in for 5 years.

I don't know anything about them getting your prescription pharmacy list, buy they go buy administrative law so the BON can do whatever they want, You were arrested. It does not matter if the charges were dropped or downgraded. One of your arrests involved drugs. Thier job is to ensure you are safe to practice. You have 2 arrests and one of them involved drugs. Of course that will get their attention. the evaluation is very expensive, cash only. Not covered by insurance...you need to go to who they choose, , you cannot choose your own.

The BON would know nothing about your prescription meds if it was not for your arrest, even though the charges were dropped, you were arrested, and that is always a red flag for the BON. You have to explain why you were arrested. If it was just the first one you'd probably be OK but with the second one that is a huge issue...there is no reason why those meds should not be in your prescribed bottles and that's what they will say so it will be suspicious. You need to remember the BON is there to protect the public and to ensure all nurses are safe to practice. If they suspect you might not be safe, they refer to TAMP. My experience with RAMP tells me you will be in for 5 years. Your 2nd arrest was drug related even if the charges were downgraded. Feel free to get an attorney, but make sure you get one that specializes in the New Jersey Board of Nursing...any attorney will take your money and just not help you. So find one that has experience dealing with the BON I am not allowed to refer any attorney to you and I don't know how to direct message you and I don't have an email address to email you the name of one

I do not suggest lying because if/when you are caught you're in for 5 years. They will do a hair sample to look back 6 months so they will find your prescription meds there. What meds are they? I don't know about the pharmacy thing, I have never heard of that before. Did you just sit for the NCLEX and RAMP got involved due to your background check?

I actually spoke to that nurse and she admitted she did "mouth off and give the cop an attitude". He actually said to her he knows the charge will be dropped but he knows she's a nurse and the Board of Nursing won't drop it. lesson learned never mouth off to a cop! It's just terrible how some people with power can ruin your life

"She worked in L&D and a baby was given wrong dose of medication and was not documented tried to cover it up. Her management reported her to Ramp". I think what probably happened here is the nurse was fired for trying to cover up a med error. Usually that's falsification of medical records. As a mandatory reporting state, if you are fired for something like that, the employer has no choice but to report this the the NJBON. The BON decides if they are going to take action, dismiss it, or refer to RAMP. BTW the book "The Good Nurse" is so much better than the Netflix movie!

Agree 100%!!

NJ is very strict because of the Cullen Law. Everyone should know all that terrible man did and you will understand why Nj is so strict. Granted they take it to the max extreme but that is why

That's your choice but I really don't recommend it. I have been supporting nurses since before RAMP even existed. Before RAMP it was an automatic 2 year license suspension and I cannot tell you how many times people lost their license a 2nd time because they were in denial. I don't know your circumstances but if RAMP showed up in your life there is an issue somewhere and drinking is a bad choice

There are so many different on line forums out there, I really doubt they are bothering to look. But that's just my opinion

Correct and even if you have surgery and get pain meds, you cannot return to work until you are off all meds and you test negative. Even if you have a procedure with sedation like a colonoscopy. You cannot return to work until you test negative.

I 100% agree, sometimes If the attorney has experience dealing with RAMP they might be able to help if it's a special circumstance but my experience has been if there is one DUI pre license it's 2 years, if there is more than one DUI pre license it's 5 years. No matter how long ago it was

Oh boy yes that certainly happens. It's a classic example of a common practice that is accepted as OK because everyone seems to do it, but now I know better and don't take even an antibiotic if it's not prescribed to me!

How did they even find out you took a Percocet that was not prescribed to you?

I would say just follow your attorneys, advice and guidance. From my experience. I do think you will be required to enroll and RAMP. There are several issues here. The first one is simple...you moved and did not notify the board of nursing. We are required to notify them with a certain amount of time of the move. If you didn't do that, it's a violation. The second issue is the criminal charges. Even if they were dropped, the fact that you were charged is an issue with the board of nursing. Remember the board of nursing needs to make sure every nurse is safe to practice and even though the charges were dropped something that caused the police to stop you and question whether you should be driving the board of nursing will look at this and say, even though you are on prescription medicine, and taking as prescribed, the prescription medicine obviously affected your driving and therefore it just might affect your nursing practice That is why I think they will want you to enroll in so you can be monitored for safe practice

I don't know how to direct message and we cannot give our private emails:phone numbers. RAMP is contracted the NJ BOzn and the BON is obligated to ensure nurses are safe to practice. Sorry but with 2 charges (even if one was dropped) if you want to work as a nurse you have no choice but to contact them and be 100% honest, especially when they ask about alcohol/drug use. They have ways of testing that go back at least 6 months. It's a 5 year program but some people are given a 2 year contract depending on their circumstances. Yes it's an expensive program but many people have successfully completed the program. There are also many RAMP friendly hospitals that will hire you despite the restrictions, Most of the weekly nurse support groups are great, depending on who runs them

Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is a mid-to-long-term alcohol biomarker created in red blood cells, where it exists as part of the cell membrane. PEth may be detected in blood for up to approximately 2-4 weeks. However, there may be isolated circumstances where PEth may be detected at 6 weeks or more.

Always best to tell the truth. No matter what, while you are in a monitoring program, you must stay clean from any and all forms of alcohol or drugs. They will find out! It's too much work to cheat the tests. Much easier to just stay clean. You'll find it's a great way of life

ThSt is that's very interesting. I have a feeling the NJ program has an even stricter number. They do not believe in incidental exposure

Why do you keep referring to the 20 cut off? How do you know what cut off they use? In NJ the cut off number is more strict than what they use for the police. It's really easier to keep it simple and remain totally abstinent from alcohol and drugs while in a monitoring program. It you can't do that well then you most likely have a problem,

The NJ Program, RAMP, does not acknowledge tests done on your own

Any chance you're diabetic? High blood sugars can give false positives

You might be thinking if the OIG List (Office of the Inspector General) if you are on that list you cannot work for any place that accepts Medicare/Medicaid. You will land up in the NPDB if action was taken against your license. But you can still get a job, just need to be honest.

Have you considered going to AA and giving true sobriety a try? Coping by sneaking alcohol is no way to live. In NJ at only 3 months in you would not be extended but you would need to repeat 90 meetings in 90 days before they would ever consider you being able to go back to work