Hello everyone I passed my boards and I had 2 charges non drug related one in 2016 and one in 2022 the one charge got dropped I was asked to join the ramp program and when finished I can get my license I have a few questions for anyone who was in this program I no this is like an outpatient program and it includes meetings evaluation and drug testing I'm wondering if this is because I'm on medication? They didn't explain why I have to do this evaluation but I did read others peoples comments thay I will have to pay $350-250 dollars for a hair drug test ? And a nails drug test is $150
& I read the urine test is only $60.
do they make you pay this much for these test ? Also dose anyone no if we are sent out for these tests ? Or do I go to a hospital or something? I'm confused on where I attend to ?
if I'm on Medicaid insurance will the program send me to quest or lab corp and maybe my insurance company can pay for it ? im not working right now and I don't. Know how I will be able to afford this program and I really want my nursing licenses. Has anyone just had all urine test done and only had to pay the 50-60$ dollar test ?
also can anyone tell me how this works after I call the number I was provided do I just have an initial interview over the phone then we set up an in person exam or evaluation.
if anyone know anyone or has been through this ramp program can they please answer my few questions please
@Healer555 isn't that breaking hippa though looking at my past perscription print out ?
so I do not have a drug or alcohol problem so I'm guessing they are making me do the program because of my past charges or because I take perscriotion pain meds there were 2 charges one was dropped that was with a fight with my ex girlfriend and the second charge was bcuz inhad pain medication in my car and I was in a bad area and I got pulled over and I didn't have my pills in my original perscription bottle they where inna pill dispenser/ weekly organizer which was dismissed and down graded to a disorderly persons offense
they didn't tell me why I have to do the program though? so im
not sure if its the arrest or my meds ?
my thing is .. is that if im prescribed pwin meds are they going to increase my time to do more time on the program ?
becayse I have seen other post where ppl where taking anxiety n anti depressants an there time was increased ?
can anyone answer this for me please?
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
so I'm not sure why the board is suggesting I do this evaluation before I get my license?
dose the evaluation cost anything? Also what will they ask me
I'm guessing they are making me do the program because of my past charges or because I take prescription pain meds there were 2 charges one was dropped that was with a fight with my ex girlfriend and the second charge was bcuz I had pain medication in my car and I was in a bad area and I got pulled over and I didn't have my pills in my original perscription bottle they where inna pill dispenser/ weekly organizer which they originally charged me with possession on my meds but it was dismissed and down graded to a disorderly persons offense when I braught in my script bottle .. so I'm not sure is it the charges or my meds that's why they are making me do this program ?
they say if the evaluation goes well they will give me my license... but if I'm on controlled medication I will have to do this program for a long time correct or ? I'm wondering if I stop taking my prescription pain medication will they let me finish the program within a week or so
they didn't tell me why I have to do the program though? so im
not sure if its the arrest or my meds ?
my thing is .. is that if im prescribed pwin meds are they going to increase my time to do more time on the program ?
becayse I have seen other post where ppl where taking anxiety n anti depressants an there time was increased ?
can anyone answer this for me please?
also if I stop my pain medications do I still have to do this program?
The eval is to see if u have a substance abuse issue and they most of the time order u to be monitored regardless sadly
@KathyMomRN I'm percribed pain medication and I passed my boards a while ago.. they didn't tell me why I have to do ramp but I heard a girl told them she was on antidepressants and anxiety medicine and they made her to an automatic 5 years so that's why if I tell them I take pain medication by hippa do I have to tell them and aren't they breaking hippa law by getting my prescription records ? Its prescribed to me but I'm not trying to add more time and I can just stop taking my pain medication all together before I start ramp.
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.
@KathyMomRN I'm percribed pain medication and I passed my boards a while ago.. they didn't tell me why I have to do ramp but I heard a girl told them she was on antidepressants and anxiety medicine and they made her to an automatic 5 years so that's why if I tell them I take pain medication by hippa do I have to tell them and aren't they breaking hippa law by getting my prescription records ? Its prescribed to me but I'm not trying to add more time and I can just stop taking my pain medication all together before I start ramp.
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.
Let me know if you want to talk privately- I can help explain things
so I have a few questions
I do not have a drug or alcohol problem
so I'm not sure why the board is suggesting I do this evaluation before I get my license?
dose the evaluation cost anything? Also what will they ask me
I'm guessing they are making me do the program because of my past charges or because I take prescription pain meds there were 2 charges one was dropped that was with a fight with my ex girlfriend and the second charge was bcuz I had pain medication in my car and I was in a bad area and I got pulled over and I didn't have my pills in my original perscription bottle they where inna pill dispenser/ weekly organizer which they originally charged me with possession on my meds but it was dismissed and down graded to a disorderly persons offense when I braught in my script bottle .. so I'm not sure is it the charges or my meds that's why they are making me do this program ?
they say if the evaluation goes well they will give me my license... but if I'm on controlled medication I will have to do this program for a long time correct or ? I'm wondering if I stop taking my prescription pain medication will they let me finish the program within a week or so
they didn't tell me why I have to do the program though? so im
not sure if its the arrest or my meds ?
my thing is .. is that if im prescribed pwin meds are they going to increase my time to do more time on the program ?
becayse I have seen other post where ppl where taking anxiety n anti depressants an there time was increased ?
can anyone answer this for me please?
also if I stop my pain medications do I still have to do this program?
If your pain.med is an opiate they will expect you to stop.. most likely if it's Gabapentin or Lyrica they will expect you to stop. If you stop now you may escape iop or rehab but it won't get you out of a monitoring program. I'm guessing the evaluator will say all the legal issues were due to using pain meds and they often twist things to get the criteria needed for a substance use disorder diagnosis. I'd guess it's the arrest and meds.
I'm not in New Jersey but my evaluation was $450.
From all I've seen and heard they will 100% recommend a monitoring agreement for at least 3 years if you're taking an opiate long term.
In my state people can take antidepressants and anti anxiety meds as long as they aren't controlled substances. They'll probably talk to your doctors, read the police report. Make sure your story is consistent with both.
RAMP costs ~ $360/month ($4,400/yr). Evaluation is one time out-of-pocket cost ($500-$1000). If you have to do treatment of any kind, you can go to provider in your insurance network.
The costs are primarily drug screens & peer group. Peer group meetings are $120/m (you can save $90-$120/yr by signing up for quarterly or yearly subscription).
There are two urine screens (should never be more than 3/month) and a Peth test roughly every 3 months that is $130 ($180 if you do it at home). Hair and nail tests are not routine, and only used at the very end of monitoring and during the evaluation period.
Can you afford it on a nursing salary?
Yes, you can afford it. The real cost is the lost wages from no overtime pay, and not being able to do night shift/float positions (if that's your thing). That is roughly 30k/yr (depending on your base salary). Unless you are fortunate enough, you will have to take a low paying job to start in a field where people don't usually want to work (so your base pay will be low low - I took 30% pay cut for 2 years and just went back up to my pre-RAMP base pay which is still 15% less than what I would be making otherwise). So you will be on a bit of a budget to say the least.
Will you find a job?
You will be able to find a job, probably not one you like for the first 2 years. After 2 years, you can work in any field (except travel/home nursing/floating/night shift).
Is it worth it?
If you can work in another field and make a comparable salary, then the program may not be worth it. If you cannot work in another field and make a comparable salary, then yes the program is worth it. If you were referred to RAMP, then yes it is worth it. It doesn't matter if you want to do something aside from nursing, you do not want your license suspended. That will be something that any employer can bring up down the line and is not worth having to explain.
Word of advice, for the first year they do not extend your contract. If you have any positive drug screens or miss tests after the first year, they will extend your contract. You will never be kicked out for a positive drug screen, but it can go on indefinitely.
What medications can you take? You cannot take any controlled medication. You may get a pass to take stimulants if you have to take them. Otherwise, no controlled meds at any point unless you are hospitalized. There is a medication guide that they use to approve your prescription medications. If it has a potential for abuse, but not a controlled medication, you can take it with a prescription. Some of the stuff I've taken without a script and it didn't show up on a drug screen. It was honestly frustration at the stringent rules and kind of a f--k it attitude, but I wouldn't do it again. It was a flash of teenage rebellion but these are the rules and it's just not worth extending my contract for a single day.
can I possibly speak with either or both of you privately? Happy to provide my email if you are open to speaking. New nurse applicant here very concerned about the effect of this evaluation/ program on my life moving forward
In 2016 I got a simple assault with my ex gf and we had a fight and then that was dropped and n than I got another charge it was a disorderly conduct or I think it was as called disorderly persons offense in 2022 I got upset with the police officer because he was trying to say I was selling drugs because I didn't have my medications in a prescription bottle I had them in a pill dispenser Nikki/ organizer and I was in a bad area of town when this whole thing happened... the whole town itself is not a good area so I I had to. Take it to court to show that it was okay for these medications to be in my possession another hard thing is is that technically the whole town I love mso I'm not sure if I'm being sent to ramp because of my past charges or because of my prescription medication that I was prescribed my big question is when I go to get evaluated I do not have a drug or alcohol problem but if I say I take prescription medication will they increase my time at ramp and now if I don't tell them I take any prescription medication is it true they request the last 3 years of medication print out from my pharmacy isn't this like hippa or is it required that we give a print out of our medication history?
If I say I take prescription controlled medication.. will they increase my time on ramp and if I don't say I take any medication can I get I trouble ? Please let me know thanks
My advice, from what I've seen is, their evaluation is a JOKE. They will use Anything you say to frame you and give you the longest possible contract. I was honest and got screwed (thinking honesty is the best policy) - Nope, not with those people. I never had a drug/alcohol problem, but because one of the questions was if I ever blacked out or forgot parts while I was drinking, and being ex-military stationed in Germany after a deployment to Iraq, of course I went out with my fellow battle buddies and drank after deployment - That alone apparently made me an alcoholic so DO NOT mention your meds!! See if you can get a new doctor and get your prescription s with a clean story.
If they ever ask you "have you ever drank so much that you blacked out? (Even if you did that 20 years ago) the answer is NO. There is no history of any social life with those people. Make your intake make you sound as boring as possible. Say your are active, gym goes, you like hiking, etc. You don't drink or do drugs, specially if you knowny9u don't have a problem.
There are a lot of nurses in RAMP that do have a drug/alcohol problem and get triggered when there's someone in ramp that say they don't have a problem, because to them it is impossible to believe that one can go out and have one drink. Don't 3ven bother listening to their demons. You are there to save yourself from the hell that program is.
Nope, everyone has to undergo RAMP if you have an arrest. There is a chance you will be allowed to get your license after the 90 day period of evaluation. They will make you see a counselor, who may or may not recommend monitoring. Even if they do not recommend monitoring, the board may still require you to have a contract.
Every drug test is out of pocket. You cannot have it covered by insurance because RAMP is not treatment. They do allow you to get treatment from a provider in your insurance network. However, the evaluation is set up by RAMP with one of their approved counselors. I've never heard of anyone paying less than $600, and the average is around $800.
Yeah but I don't have a drug charge so why do I have to do ramp ? I got a disorderly charge? @dancinginthedark
My advice, from what I've seen is, their evaluation is a JOKE. They will use Anything you say to frame you and give you the longest possible contract. I was honest and got screwed (thinking honesty is the best policy) - Nope, not with those people. I never had a drug/alcohol problem, but because one of the questions was if I ever blacked out or forgot parts while I was drinking, and being ex-military stationed in Germany after a deployment to Iraq, of course I went out with my fellow battle buddies and drank after deployment - That alone apparently made me an alcoholic so DO NOT mention your meds!! See if you can get a new doctor and get your prescription s with a clean story.
If they ever ask you "have you ever drank so much that you blacked out? (Even if you did that 20 years ago) the answer is NO. There is no history of any social life with those people. Make your intake make you sound as boring as possible. Say your are active, gym goes, you like hiking, etc. You don't drink or do drugs, specially if you knowny9u don't have a problem.
There are a lot of nurses in RAMP that do have a drug/alcohol problem and get triggered when there's someone in ramp that say they don't have a problem, because to them it is impossible to believe that one can go out and have one drink. Don't 3ven bother listening to their demons. You are there to save yourself from the hell that program is.
Best wishes!! 💓
Hey @mel1210
is there any way I can email you I have a few questions about this some people are telling me to get a lawyer so I don't have to do ramp I do not have a drug or alcohol problem so why do I have to spend so much money and do this program ? One of my arrest where dismissed and one was a disorderly conduct charge both non drug or alcohol related charges? So I'm confused why I have to do this program...of thousands of dollars of drug testing.. as far as medication goes I don't I have to tell them but then what happens if I have to do the program and then I tell them I'm not on any meds and then in it shows up on a drug test from ramp I just don't understand why I have to do ramp if my charges of arrest where not drug or alcohol related ? I'm so confused
KathyMomRN, RN
45 Posts
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