Can I Get Hired?

[Aziza_]

Hello, I am seeking advice or help with my current situation. I will be graduating from nursing school next week. Last November I was wrongfully accused of a DUI and arrested. I was never convicted and my charges were dismissed because there was nothing in my blood. I do have a lawyer and she is working on my expungement as we speak, however, she is telling me that the courts are "backed up," and it could take me about until the fall for it to go through. So i had two questions. One: will this defer me from taking my boards? I did ask my lawyer and my advisor and they both told me that it shou ldnt being as though I was never convicted. Two: do you think a hospital will hire me with a dismissed case on my record? I don't know if I would be better off waiting for the expungement to go through, but I don't want to wait for too long. I've previously applied for a nurse residency program and I was not accepted. I honestly don't know if it was because of my record or just because I wasn't exactly what they were looking for. After that I feel discouraged and I honestly don't know. I dont need legal advice. I just would appreciate someone who has a friend or who has been through a similar situation. Thank you for reading this.

[Extra Pickles]

So i had two questions. One: will this defer me from taking my boards? I did ask my lawyer and my advisor and they both told me that it shou ldnt being as though I was never convicted.

When you apply to your board of nursing to take the NCLEX (not boards, the licensing exam) you will be asked if you have any arrests or convictions. You will be truthful because not being truthful will cost you a license. If they have any questions for you, they will ask you. If you have no convictions, only the arrest, I personally think it unlikely it will be an issue. My personal thoughts aside, only the BON can give you a definitive answer, and then only after you've provided them all the information on paper.

Two: do you think a hospital will hire me with a dismissed case on my record?

What I think isn't terribly important as I'm not hiring you but again, my personal take on it is it won't be an issue. A conviction--yes. Do be prepared to answer truthfully and concisely if/when they ask you about it.

I dont need legal advice.

That's good because we're not allowed or qualified to give any :)

Good luck!

[Aziza_]

Thank you so much for the feedback! I actually just took my license on the 24th and PASSED! The board issued my license with no problem! Now the hard part is finding someone who will hire me.

[twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN]

I'm confused as to why this would be a problem and why they are working on an expungement when your case was dismissed due to lack of evidence. If it was dismissed, then there is no criminal record...right?

[Aziza_]

No, although there was no conviction, there is still a record of my arrest. My state background check has been cleared, but on the FBI criminal background check it comes up as DUI-Dismissed. My court date for it to get expunged is not until Oct. 19th of this year, and even after that it still takes about 2-3 weeks for it to come off of the FBI background check. Being as though most hospitals do a FBI check, I'm nervous that I won't be hired when they see that.