New Background Checks in Colorado ?

Nurses Criminal

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Hi, I have been a nurse in Colorado for about 8mo.

I have 3 DUIs and 2 possession of controlled substances. When I applied for my license I did not share any of this with them and got my license with no problems.

I have heard that they are going to be doing a new background check system and actually check backgrounds in Colorado.

Has anyone else heard of this ? And know of any info on it ?

Specializes in Adult and pediatric emergency and critical care.
Hi, I have been a nurse in Colorado for about 8mo.

I have 3 DUIs and 2 possession of controlled substances. When I applied for my license I did not share any of this with them and got my license with no problems.

I have heard that they are going to be doing a new background check system and actually check backgrounds in Colorado.

Has anyone else heard of this ? And know of any info on it ?

So you lied to the BON, have a history of substance abuse, and placing the public at risk by driving drunk? I sure hope they are!

So you lied to the BON, have a history of substance abuse, and placing the public at risk by driving drunk? I sure hope they are!

No I didn't "lie". I did not self disclose or feel the need to bring up my past which happened long ago. BON is not a therapist.

In my state if you are working with vulnerable populations (the young or the elderly) you have to pass a Federal BCI, I wouldn't be surprised if Colorado started this.

No I didn't "lie". I did not self disclose or feel the need to bring up my past which happened long ago. BON is not a therapist.

Did they ask at any point if you had a criminal history? If so (which frankly I'd be shocked if they didn't) and you omitted that info, it is very likely that your license will be revoked if they find out.

The BON isn't a therapist; its job is to protect the public. DUIs and possession of controlled substances are both red flags which can indicate impaired judgment, and public endangerment in the case of the DUIs. Both are fairly common reasons for BONs to refuse licenses (as evidenced by the hundreds of posts on this topic found on AN). Intentionally omitting this information further suggests poor judgment. I know it isn't what you want to hear (or came here to ask), b I've got to agree with Peak on this one.

Anyway, if it doesn't come up now, I would imagine that it would come up if you ever applied for licensure in another state as federal background checks are being more readily accessible.

Intentionally omitting this information further suggests poor judgment.

Well I have a nursing job. If I would use your advice I would not. This is a help forum the info and "advice" you are spewing is not helpful. Please reevaluate the advice/opinions you are giving to people.

I know it isn't what you want to hear (or came here to ask)
No it is not. nor is it helpful in anyway. again-Please reevaluate the advice/opinions you are giving to people.

I really think you need to look at your justifications or excuses for yourself. If you would have been truthful, completely truthful, then you could have possibly given reasons for these behaviors and how you have grown and what you learned from these experiences. And you have not continued in these risky behaviors, since that time. With how you handled this, the BON and any employement will not only look into this but scrutinize any other information that you give them in the future. We are held to a higher standard and your half-truths are scary.

I have been in a BON supervised program in another state, it's not easy but with your attitude, you will have a hard way to go. And that job that you have now, will quickly end and so will your nursing career.

Good luck, but accept your responsibility in this situation

you could have possibly given reasons for these behaviors and how you have grown and what you learned from these experiences.

I could of and I would not have a job. More very bad advice that is not in one bit helpful. In fact it is toxic advice that will keep people from getting a a job.

Did you tell your husband(if you even have one) about all the stuff you did with other men ? Why would you unless you get caught. Same thing for all situations why would someone tell BON when they do not need to ?

Good luck, but accept your responsibility in this situation

I have accepted responsibility. Just because I don't run around incriminating myself doesn't mean I am not accepting responsibility. Only an idiot incriminates themselves. Any lawyer will tell you that incriminating is the worst thing to do.

If anyone has any info on the new possible nursing background check I would love to hear about it.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.
I could of and I would not have a job. More very bad advice that is not in one bit helpful. In fact it is toxic advice that will keep people from getting a a job.

Did you tell your husband(if you even have one) about all the stuff you did with other men ? Why would you unless you get caught. Same thing for all situations why would someone tell BON when they do not need to ?

I have accepted responsibility. Just because I don't run around incriminating myself doesn't mean I am not accepting responsibility. Only an idiot incriminates themselves. Any lawyer will tell you that incriminating is the worst thing to do.

If anyone has any info on the new possible nursing background check I would love to hear about it.

What you have done here is not leaving out information about your past to avoid upsetting your husband, who by the way is probably fully aware that you've had sexual relations with other men unless you were a virgin when you met. What you have done is lied to the BON and your employer by omitting the required information about your criminal charges. Omitting that information isn't done to not incriminate yourself, it's lying on the application and it can and should have consequences.

As far as your claim that you accept responsibility, sorry I don't see it that way. Seems to me all you're doing is looking for a way around admitting your criminal charges to the BON. Not that I even want to give you a glimmer of hope, I don't know a darn thing about how the Colorado BON conducts business but I do know that in my state any current license holder is being grandfathered in and doesn't have to go through the federal background check to maintain their multi-state license.

I had a couple of felonies when I was younger, I did not mention these when I got my Colorado nursing license. That was more then 7 years ago.

Like Cindy was saying only idiots incriminate themselves when they do not have to. If you want to bring up personal dirt when you do not have to then have fun flipping burgers, idiots have to be weeded out somehow.

As far as the new background checks in Colorado it is still just talk, probably will not happen for years. When they do current license holders will most likely be grandfathered in. I am not worried about it.

Lots of bad BON advice on this forum, make me wonder how much of it is coming from BON themselves trying to promote fear and worship.

As of last January, Colorado is one of five states not requiring fingerprint background checks for licensure as a registered nurse. This is why Colorado is not yet signed on with the enhanced Nurse License Compact (eNLC), as the Uniform Licensure Requirements for a Multistate License requires all applicants submit to state and federal fingerprint-based criminal background checks. If Colorado has any intention of joining the nNLC, then this will obviously have to change. If and when this happens, how it will affect current licensees remains to be seen.

No I didn't "lie". I did not self disclose or feel the need to bring up my past which happened long ago. BON is not a therapist.

No, as noted the BON is not a therapist, they are charged with protecting the public. If you are asked for this information as part of the application process, then that is not self-disclosure. And if you were asked, and did not provide this, then yes, you did actually commit a lie of omission.

Well I have a nursing job. If I would use your advice I would not. This is a help forum the info and "advice" you are spewing is not helpful. Please reevaluate the advice/opinions you are giving to people.

[...]

And if Colorado does in fact implement a background check for all, it likely that you will not only lose that license, if you were asked about this on your original application; but will be denied license in other states as a result.

While I fully support not disclosing information when not asked, I just as fully support being honest. I know firsthand how painful the results can be. I recently applied for licensure in Virginia, as well as reactivated my license in West Virginia, and both states required disposition information regarding a DUI I received in 1981. And this was after previously reporting, and fully documenting this, with the West Virginia BON.

Best wishes as you work through this issue.

I do know that in my state any current license holder is being grandfathered in and doesn't have to go through the federal background check to maintain their multi-state license.

Thank you this information is helpful.

As far as the new background checks in Colorado it is still just talk, probably will not happen for years. When they do current license holders will most likely be grandfathered in. I am not worried about it.

Lots of bad BON advice on this forum, make me wonder how much of it is coming from BON themselves trying to promote fear and worship.

Thank you for the helpful and relevant information.

And if Colorado does in fact implement a background check for all, it likely that you will not only lose that license, if you were asked about this on your original application;

Please stop trying to spread misinformation designed to scare people..

People on on here trying to gather info on careers and life choices. You misinformation and scare tactics are counter productive and toxic. Please Stop.

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