non-criminal charge

[2Tall4you]

It doesn't seem that many WI nurses post so I am also posting this here..

Hello all!

An issue has arised in my life and consequently all my dreams sit in the hands of the city attorney. Ever since I was ten years old, I knew I belonged in the medical field. Iv solutions and syringes were cleverly constructed from household items so I could heal my friends during imaginative play. Summer 2011 was my first semester back to college (2nd attempt after dropping out right after high school to tend to personal needs) and I currently finished my third semester today! :) It blows my mind to know that once I truly set my mind to do something, I can achieve it. I started this attempt at school with the attitude that "I will not set myself up for failure", and have set strict guidelines for study, homework, work, sleep and very little play. Since doing that my grades have stayed at the A level, however, I feel my chemistry exam I finished today will leave me with a B. I left my apartment, left my friends and moved back home with my parents.

Okay back to my real issue... A few weeks back I was with a friend and we were picked up for "theft", however I never left the store. I did not have intent to steal from the store. I had money with me and I never went passed the point of purchase. My friend however did have the intent to steal and had taken one of the tags off a shirt and left it in the dressing room. Well I didn't want her to get in trouble to I grabbed it and threw it in my pocket and I was just going to ditch it when I went to pay for my stuff. Anyways long story short, we were approched by LP from the store, said if we cooperated she would not call the police (even though she already called before coming to get us). The police officer did not even want to charge me with anything because of the fact I never left the store, hence I never had a chance to commit a crime but ended up issueing me a non-criminal citation violation for retail theft in the amount of (0.00-9.00) when the store claimed I stole 108.00 dollars worth of clothes. This is the only thing on my record and I have since hired an attorney to fight this seeing how I have a lot on the line and for the fact that I never left the store. I have no idea what is going to happen although my attorney feels as if I have a good fighting chance and that it will just be dropped or some other deal might get worked out but the problem is now my school has taken away all my financial aid and refuses to let me take my summer classes of biochemistry and ap1 which start in five days. Unless I want to pay for them out of pocket then I may do that BUT I received an email from the nursing program director stating that I should start checking into other nursing schools in the area due to the fact that their school clinical sites have refused anyone with "theft", criminal or non-criminal charges from performing clinical rotations.

This whole issue has really opened my eyes to the saying "you are who your friends are" and now that my whole entire life is up in the air I just feel like crawling in a hole and dying. I have crazy dreams associated with finishing my nursing career. Dreams of doing nursing missions in third world countries, flight nursing and medical breakthroughs. Without the chance of becoming a nurse I am not sure what else there is out there in regards to careers that I would feel at home. Hospitals and medicine are my passion.

What do you guys think, do I still have a chance of one getting into a program for nursing seeing how my current school has already pretty much kicked me out of their school, and two even if I can find a school that will take me, will the state even allow me to take the state exam?

Anyone else in the same boat? It is just crazy to me that I might not have a shot at my passion but another girl in school I know is a convicted felon for delivery of cocaine yet she has been accepted into the business management program AND receives 2100.00 more than myself in grants for the year.. while I work every weekend and she does not have a job.. The system is messed up.

Anyways.. I know I wrote a lot here but I am reaching out for thoughts, advice, similar stories. Again my charge is STILL pending and it was a city violation charge equal to that of a speeding ticket or loud noise...etc.... Thanks in advance!!!

[PrayToTheUnicorn]

I am confused how this happened only a few weeks back but your "current school has already pretty much kicked [you] out." You have not yet been proven guilty of anything so that would not even be legal to kick you out. Also, how would they even know of pending issues? And you just took a chemistry exam. So how exactly are you "kicked out"?

If it truly is equal to a parking ticket (doubt it) then what is there to worry about? Pay top dollar for a good attorney and get it thrown out. Money truly can and will buy a lot of things.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Hindsight is always 20-20, right? I am sure all of us have made mistakes just because we acted without thinking of the consequences. I just want to help explain some reasons why your school & clinical sites have set up these rules.

Healthcare is radically different from other industries because our work involves people who are extremely vulnerable and frequently dependent upon our services to save or extend their lives. Our decisions can have a radical impact upon the lives of our patients and their families. Consequently, there are Federal laws to protect patients from unscrupulous or incompetent health care providers. Since past behavior remains the best way to predict future behavior, health care provider organizations are prohibited from allowing anyone with a criminal background to have access to their patient populations.

Unfortunately, theft (from the organization, from patients & families, etc) remains a problem in most clinical settings simply because of the way that they are organized. Patient privacy would be compromised if we tried to set up high security surveillance. Therefore, employers are particularly sensitive to this type of conviction.

You've done the right thing by enlisting the aid of an attorney. Good luck with your efforts.