New Grad with recent DUI; denied licensure

[nursingnerd25]

Hello all,

I am in real need of advice so if anyone is in my same book or has had a similar issue please let me know how you resolved it. Thanks! Here goes...

I recently received a DUI in June 2011 during my last semester of nursing school. I wasnt driving at the time of being pulled over and was merely sleeping on the side of the road because I relized I had made a poor judgement. My BAC was 0.22.

I graduated and received by BSN in August 2011.

The DUI case was originally thrown back of the DA's office for lack of evidence but later reintroduced as the police department resubmitted my chargers. I applied to the BRN with an open case at the time since I had not been found guilty, however, the BRN would not grant nor deny me licensure until my case had been settled. I plead guilty to the charges in Jan 2012 thinking that if I completed all court requirements and showed rehabilative measures (although it was simply a one time occurance and I do not have an alcohol addiction) I would be granted licensure.... Wrong! My application for Registered Nurse in CA was denied in May 2012.

This leaves me 2 options... 1) filing an appeal that I heard can take over 6 months or if denied I can not reapply for licensure for one year from that date or 2) reapply in one year

Any advice or does someone have a list of Nurse Licensing Lawyers in the Southern CA area. I would greatly appreciate it.

To make matters worse, I have applied to two hospitals in the area and have disclosed my DUI conviction and have been hired pending getting my licensure. PLEASE HELP! Thanks

[crackerjoe]

Hey, thanks so much for keeping us updated. I'm wishing nothing but the best for you! I'm in the exact same scenario, just finishing up my last semester and in communication with the BRN. Please keep letting us know how it's going!

[Sunflw37]

I feel your pain. I graduated in Dec 2012 and applied in early Jan 2013 with a DUI 0.24 :-( from 2010 on my record. All fines are paid, all classes and everything else have been completed for a while. I even got it expunged but I still got denied. Signed the waiver and took the test April 4th. Waiting on the Attorney General's office to contact me with a stipulated settlement still. I have another classmate that has been waiting since February... Sucks to not know how the test went. I got 104 questions but I feel good about it. We'll see...

[MissM.RN, BSN, RN]

OP, 0.22? after you were sleeping too?? That tells me your bac was probably higher when you put the keys in the ignition....and you still showed extremely poor judgement by getting behind the wheel in the first place. people with that kind of judgement probably shouldn't be nurses. You and other posters can kick/scream/flame me, but that is the truth. nurses are held to a higher standard.

lastly....you could have killed someone. or yourself. think about that.

[weemsp]

Nurses are NOT held to a " higher standard" in the eyes of the law.

Mistakes are made....end of story! Can we please NOT make these people ( who in my opinion showed great courage in even sharing their stories in this...a PUBLIC FORUM) feel worse than they do.

I'm sure...there is nothing we can post on here that these people haven't already said to themselves ( and then some). They have done the deed and paid the piper....time to move along!!

I'm sorry I don't have any other help to offer ( being a Canadian) but I can offer my support and encouragement!!

Keep us posted on your progress!

[kguill975, MSN, APRN, NP]

OP, 0.22? after you were sleeping too?? That tells me your bac was probably higher when you put the keys in the ignition....and you still showed extremely poor judgement by getting behind the wheel in the first place. people with that kind of judgement probably shouldn't be nurses. You and other posters can kick/scream/flame me, but that is the truth. nurses are held to a higher standard.

lastly....you could have killed someone. or yourself. think about that.

Miss M.RN- Read the recent reports on night shift nurses driving home after a long shift, and you'll see the impairment is almost the same as someone who has been drinking. Are you going to lambast us too? A poor decision was made, have a little compassion.

Also, nurses aren't held to a higher standard. If I fall asleep driving after a night shift and kill someone, the judge or jury wouldn't have anymore sympathy for me than they would for a truck driver who drove all night long.

[RN_stucky621]

I am also in a similar situation (1st time DUI during school). What someone recommended here on the forums is to go to a MD or DO psychiatrist that is an addiction specialist and have them do an alcohol evaluation on you. If this was truly a one time lapse of judgement than it'll look better during your appeals process when you have a letter stating that you aren't addicted to alcohol. The poster who recommended this is from California, also got a 1st time DUI during nursing school, got initially denied, but was given an unrestricted RN license during appeals (you can search the forum the thread is still around). Best of luck to you

So after about a year and a half I am very happy to announce that the BRN has dropped their disciplinary actions against my application and I am free to take the NCLEX to get an UNRESTRICTED license. Even though you think your life is gonna be over its not! Keep your head up everyone as you will eventually get through this as well.