Where can I find the New/Accepted Student Roster? Is this the same as a graduate roster?
The roster can be located at the following link: http://www.bon.texas.gov/forms.asp (under For Schools). This is NOT the same as a graduate roster and the two should not be used interchangeably. The graduate roster is no longer required.Who determines what qualifies someone as a new/accepted student?
The definition of an accepted or new nursing student will be up to each school of nursing to determine. You may submit any list of accepted or new students, even if they are on a waiting list or considered alternates.
Who at my school will receive the information regarding when we can take the next step?
An email is sent to the person designated on the roster.
What if we forgot to provide a contact person/email address on the roster?
The roster will be returned to the school which will delay processing.
To whom do we send the rosters and by what method?
Rosters should be emailed to Rosemary Riojas: Rosemary.Riojas@bon.texas.gov. Roster are no longer accepted via fax or regular mail.
How quickly will my students be able to schedule their fingerprint appointment?
The BON makes every attempt to enter the rosters within ten (10) business days. We will send an email notification when the information has been entered. NOTE: Expect possible delays during the peak graduation seasons (May, August, and December).
How will I get the Service Code Form (Formerly known as a Fast Pass) to provide to my students?
The Service Code Form is no longer sent. Students will receive an email from Identogo including the service code and instructions on scheduling their appointment.
My school has been following this process for a while, and I have a Service Code Form from before. Do I have to wait for the email from the BON before giving them the Service Code Form?
YES! The Service Code Form is no longer issued & providing the Service Code Form before receiving the confirmation email from the BON will delay processing and could interfere with the BON receiving the transmission of CBC results.
What happens if a new/accepted student gets fingerprinted before being entered in the BON system?
As mentioned above, it could interfere with the BON receiving the transmission of CBC results. If this happens, the student may be asked to repeat the process.
Does a blue card mean there isn’t anything regarding this particular student that the BON would need to review?
Not necessarily. Remember, blue cards are sent to individuals whose CBC came back with no findings, but it is possible that the student did have criminal activity in the past and the jurisdiction has not reported the information to the TX DPS. In addition, the eligibility section of the D.O. has questions of a non-criminal nature. It is highly recommended that you have all of your potential students read the ENTIRE section of eligibility questions to determine if a D.O. would still need to be submitted.
My student already knows that something is going to show up on his/her background check. Can he/she mail the documentation before the BON has the CBC results?
The students may write the letter of explanation and start accumulating the necessary documentation, however, he/she should wait until receiving the initial outcome from the BON (blue card or an outcome letter). Not following this order could delay the processing.
When will my student hear back regarding the D.O. he/she was asked to submit?
The initial review can take up to 30 days. Correspondence will be sent by letter regarding the outcome of the initial review. Students who were asked for a D.O. and $150 fee must allow a minimum of 90 days for the Enforcement Department to send an outcome.
Will my student receive a blue card if the D.O. review is approved?
No. Blue cards are only mailed to individuals whose CBC was clear. An individual requested to submit a D.O. will receive an outcome letter.
Is there a fee associated with the eligibility review?
Students will not need to pay a fee ONLY if the nature of their eligibility issue can be resolved during the initial review.....
Students will be asked for a DO & the $150 Enforcement review fee if the initial review finds that their eligibility issue requires an in-depth investigation with the Enforcement Department.
Their file will be transferred to the Enforcement Department within 10 business days of our office receiving the DO & $150 fee.
My student is having difficulty obtaining some of the documentation since the incident(s) happened so long ago. How should I advise them?
Applicants need to make every attempt to obtain certified supporting documentation related to the incident(s) in question. The appropriate legal jurisdiction should be able to provide something on letterhead stating that no records are found, if that is indeed the case.
Just to be on the safe side, I’ve asked all of my students to submit a D.O. Petition to the BON even if they are answering ‘no’ to all of the eligibility questions. That’s okay isn’t it?
No. Receiving needless paperwork delays processing time all around. Students that are legally able to answer ‘no’ to all eligibility questions and have received a blue card, should not submit D.O.
Will my students have to repeat the background check process before graduation?
Some students who previously submitted fingerprints to the BON may be required to complete a new fingerprint submission. This situation is due to the age of the initial fingerprint submission. Students in this situation will receive the email from Identogo with the fingerprint instructions.
Can my school make it a requirement for students to provide the outcome?
The BON cannot require the students to provide the results of the criminal background checks to the schools. The BON suggests that you consult your school legal department and see if, by policy, you may require the student to provide the BON postcard to the school for school use. Since the Declaratory Order outcome is a public record, requesting a copy of the outcome letter should not be a problem.
The student received a blue card in the past, but misplaced it. How can they obtain another?
The BON mails the original blue card to the address provided by the school on the New and Accepted Student Roster. One additional courtesy copy can be mailed to an address the student specifies. A request can be emailed to webmaster@bon.texas.gov The student should include his/her full name, date of birth, and last four digits of the SSN (if applicable), and confirm which address to mail the courtesy copy. Please make the subject line of the email: BLUE CARD COPY
Any additional blue cards, after the first two, would require a new roster from your nursing program.
A student is transferring to my program and has an outcome letter dated from two years ago. Is this still valid?
Yes. So long as no new offenses have occurred, the approval would stand, even if the letter is outdated.
The student(s) received approval through the D.O. process. This means they can now answer “no” to the eligibility questions on the NCLEX application, correct?
Applicants can submit an online application, and answer ‘no’, as long as they have already disclosed the incident(s) to the BON (on a previous application or DO). Any new incidents must be disclosed by submitting a new DO or on the NCLEX application itself.
For more information on these and other topics, use the search field at the top right corner of the page. Should you have further questions or are in need of clarification, please feel free to contact the Board.
