Nursing student with recent DUI. Need advice

Nurses Recovery

Published

Two weeks ago I was arrested for a DUI. Although I have a totally clean record before this awful experience I am ashamed and depressed. I am in my second semester of nursing school in Illinois. My question is will this effect my ability to sit for the Nclex and become an RN? At almost 50, nursing is my second career go around. I'm at a crossroads because if I'm not able to sit for the Nclex and become a RN then there is no point in finishing the program. Any light anyone can shed on this is most appreciated.

Posts have been removed.

This forum is for supportive advice. MANY come here when they have no place to go ...

Please do not come here to be divisive, non-supportive.

Thank you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

OK I will try to say this in the nicest way possible, in response to the deleted posts that I read before they were deleted. I feel that anyone in this situation should consult an attorney and follow the advise of their attorney. I do believe that most attorneys would try to get this at least reduced, especially as a first time DUI. No where in the AA meetings do they say to try to punish yourself by not using an attorney or by not following your attorney's advise (if the attorney recommends going for reduced charges, which I believe most would do in a situation like this). And if it were me, I would try to hire a good one even if it costs more. I am confident that this advise is sensible and responsible.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hello all:

I have heard all manner of "advice" at AA meeting ranging from the well meaning and good hearted "this is what worked for me tell me if I can help" to the AA Guru "you have yo pray to my god and do things my way or you are damned by me and the big guy in the sky" all the way to the complete bat-crap crazy "AA says don't take your psych meds", "AA says quit your job, leave your spouse...." given by people who when they aren't in 12 step meetings are wearing a tin foil hat and communicating with aliens who are disguised as pigeons.

Take everything you hear as opinion. The only hard facts are what you have to do to get or maintain a nursing license. Get a lawyer & see how much of this damage he can take out of your life. We have an adversarial legal system where the cops & the DA attempt try to extract as much flesh as they can from your butt and your attorney tries to keep your keister intact. Get professional help and get that felony dropped if at all possible as being a convicted felon is a life-altering event. God Bless, Good Luck & Happy New Year!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

These are hasty generalizations at best. I drank Vodka because I liked Vodka. Being a nurse had nothing to do with it. I was never impaired at work in any way. Most Nurses here & in the groups I've been in have never been impaired at work in any way. That is from 1st hand knowledge not on any supposition that you think you know based on who knows what. As far as taking responsibility for my actions? The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania punished be for getting a DUI. I paid my debt to society so any opinion you have that I should be punished over & above that will most likely fall of deaf ears. I'm done apologizing for my actions as I've paid my debt. What most of us do now we do to save our jobs. If you have visions of gratitude for being in this meat-grinder you are misguided to say the very least

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Oh yeah when I'm done with this charade I'll drink some more Vodka. I just won't drive after I do. The punishment that I deserved handed out by the criminal justice system would have been more than adequate to insure that

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Staff note - some more posts have been removed. The goal of this forum is to be supportive not divisive.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi there. I talked with my case manager today (early because something came up for tomorrow). Anyway, she said you should NOT drop out. She thinks the worst thing that would happen is that you would end up in a monitoring program... but she does NOT think anything would be public on your license or that you would have a mark on your license. (Although, I think a DUI being on your background check could be an issue but it would really really help to have a clean RN license. Potential future employers can look at your nursing license and see any mark on it before even interviewing you).

You'll have to report it with your application for the nursing license because they will find out, and not reporting it could mean they would not give you a license at all. She did say having the DUI would delay you getting a license though and you would likely have to go downtown for an informal conference with the BON prior to being issued a license. She said closer to around the time you are to graduate, you should get an assessment done by a certified addiction psychiatrist (the BON will ask for this to be done anyway but you can save yourself a lot of time by doing it before you graduate). Contact her for a list of doctors to make sure you see the right kind of psychiatrist because it has to be a certified addiction psychiatrist. The BON will want the psychiatrist to fill out their 8-9 page questionnaire/assessment. The doctor fills it out but asks you a lot of questions and there is a spot for the doctor's recommendations. Whether or not you end up in the motoring program will be based on the psychiatrist's recommendations and this will be included on that 8-9 page report. The purpose of this assessment is to find out if you really have a problem with alcohol or not. You can get a copy of this questionnaire/assessment from her. She recommended to wait closer to the end of your program and she said you can remain annonymous when you call her if you want to. She said she really hasn't seen anyone end up with a mark on their license from just one DUI before even being a nurse. She said the monitoring program for someone like you could be shorter or perhaps more lenient than what is typical (but it might not be). She did say that whatever the psychiatrist recommends, you need to do it. If they recommend AA or rehab, you'll have to do it. Again, the way you answer the questions and present yourself to the psychiatrist will determine the recommendations (or lack of recommendations). A link to the IL monitoring program is Illinois Professionals Health Program. Her name is Janet Pickett and her direct office number is 847 892 7903. I mentioned you are trying to get it reduced to reckless driving but I forgot to ask her if you would still have to do all this if that happens... I think you would still have to report it with your application for the license though...but just see what ends up happening and you can always call her and ask. She's super nice. Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Great Advice Lisa!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi, I just want to say - I've heard of people with more than one DUI getting a license in Illinois. Lawyer up, go through with the court proceedings, and then talk to the BON. The best advice I could give you would to be totally forthright with them. The background check they conduct is far more extensive than the background checks conducted by employers, so your chances of hiding anything from them are slim. Even if the charges get dropped to reckless driving, they may still be able to see that you were arrested for DUI. I'm not 100% sure, so consult with an attorney that specializes in professional licensure.

I speak from personal experience here: I was arrested for petty larceny when I was 13. I wasn't convicted--I never even went to court for the matter. I had totally forgotten about the experience when I went to apply for my license. In the meantime, I had secured a nice job .. we were just waiting for my license to be issued in order to begin. Well, I received a letter from the BON stating that their background check had revealed an arrest for larceny dating back to 2001 and that I needed to explain the circumstances of this arrest before they would consider issuing my license. I wrote a letter and waited for their decision. 2 stressful weeks later I was issued my license.

Never in a million years would I have thought that this arrest would come up. I always thought juvenile records were sealed once one became of age, nevermind the fact that there was no conviction. Please learn from my story and don't try and sneak anything past them.

Best of luck with your court proceedings and licensure.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm going with those advising a good lawyer who might be able to mitigate the DUI. A DUI conviction will almost certainly get you hooked into a monitoring program, which will be humiliating, intrusive, and oppressive, as well as severely limiting your employment opportunities when you finish school.

Seriously, put whatever money you have into fighting the DUI. It is definitely worth it.

But, if it doesn't work out, welcome to the world of monitoring! It's not so bad, just really obnoxious. You can do it.

Best of luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Dear Lisacar130,

Once again I want to thank you for your input and help! I do appreciate the information you've given me. Best wishes for a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you for reaching out and adding to this thread

I'm truly appreciative of all the information and people who've helped me by sharing their own experiences on this forum.!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment