question regarding criminal history

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Apr 12, 2016

The bon is the only source that can definitely answer your question. Follow up with a call.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Apr 12, 2016

Post has been moved to the Licensure with Criminal History forum to ensure maximum responses.

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · Apr 12, 2016

There are a lot of factors that would go into whether or not it will have an impact on you getting into school, getting approved for the NCLEX, and then getting hired as an RN.

The school will run a background check on you, based on what they will allow and what they won't will really depends on the school. Once you get accepted into the program and graduate you would need to tell the board about the convictions and submit the proper paperwork (details in the application for a license). The good thing is that the record was from a few years back so you had time to show that you haven't repeated recently. The down side is that it involved physical harm of another person. You referenced the board of nursing website so I'm assuming that this was not one of the items that they listed as a definite issue. When I went to LPN school the director of the program would actually write letters of personal recommendation in regards to character. We had two students with old, misdemeanor convictions and they both got licenses and had no issue getting jobs later. The school had told them that they could not guarantee that they would be allowed to sit because the board did just as you read, reviewed each as an individual case. This is because they board can change what they will and will not allow at any time, so it is impossible to say if today it would be approved that it may not be approved later once the student graduates.

Then, once you have your RN you will need to apply for a job as a nurse. It really depends on the employer if they would be okay with the convictions and I cannot offer an easy way to find out except for asking them directly if you want to know the likelihood prior to going through school. My uncle made a few mistakes when he was younger and went through EMT school a while back (this was in the early 90s). He was able to get some strings pulled so that he could go through school but then when reality set in after talking to some friends with the fire department that told him that yes, they were able to allow him to go to school but to actually hire him with his past was a very slim chance. Granted, he had more than simple battery (had a history of a drinking problem and had a couple of DUIs on his record).

I wish you luck with pursuing your goal of becoming a nurse. Maybe some nurses who went through a similar situation will be able to share their story and the likelihood of everything working out. Many people make mistakes, especially when they are young and do not understand the consequences of how it can impact their future. I'm one to believe that people can change and with something like what you had should be able to be overlooked once time has passed to show that you've be clear since.