A quick question for all you nurses

Nurses Criminal

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Hello,

My name is Aaron and I am a pre-nursing student. I have a applied to area nursing schools in Knoxville, TN for Fall 2011. My question is... When I was 19 I received 3 underage consumption charges because I was a stupid brand new college kid and made mistakes. ALL of my charges have been expunged, but I am worried that this will interfere with my future goals to becoming an RN. I am currently a CNA seeking a job. I am also worried about that as far as a background check. Like I said, my charges have been EXPUNGED. Have any of you nurses had a misdemeanor charge and got it expunged before you went to nursing school/got a job in the healthcare field? Did it show up/will it show up on a background check for nursing schools/employment? What do you think about my situation? I am 21 now.. so all of this happened approx. 2 years ago..

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Specializes in Cardiac step-down, PICC/Midline insertion.

My aunt is an LPN and has a DUI on her record and this hasn't affected getting her license renewed. She turned it all into the board and everything and never heard anything about it good or bad. I think you should be fine. I think misdemeanors are acceptable to an extent...especially since they were expunged, it's felonies that may complicate things.

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Specializes in Cardiac step-down, PICC/Midline insertion.

However I would check with your state's nursing board before starting nursing school. It would be terrible to go through all of that only to find out you cannot ever get a license.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

If they were expunged, you should have no issues. Go for it!

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Expunged means it's gone, so it wouldn't even show up on a background check. I worked in the legal field for almost 20 years before this new endeavor, and we used to have clients go into accelerated disposition programs all the time. At the successful completion of the program, the charge was removed from record and the actual file was destroyed. You shoudn't have any problem if they were truly expunged. Good luck!

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Heck, I worked with a brand new RN who had been to PRISON before! PRISON! She had charges for embezzelment, assult, and I'm not sure what else. You tell me how this works! They do all these background checks and fingerprinting, but a convicted felon can be a nurse? I don't get it!

Anyway, checking with the BON is the way to go IMO.

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In Md only a felony charge can keep you from getting a license, I wouldn't think twice about this stuff. If you are concerned that it will keep you from getting a job-don't be. Background checks are the last step in the hiring process.

By then you will have established a rapport and will be free to say "hey I did some stupid stuff a couple years ago, I reformed myself and my record was expunged, but I wanted to be honest with you about it.

You will gain a world of respect from your boss and start the relationship with a reputation for honesty, candor, and the ability to learn fr4om your mistakes.

Hell I'll hire you!!

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Specializes in PACU, OR.

Well, I don't live in America, but having the charges dropped means they are expunged from all records. That was explained to me by a lawyer on the occasion of my son's arrest for possession of marijuana 11 years ago. It shouldn't be a problem, and I don't even see the need to mention it, although you might prefer to be up front about it.

How did you get the charges dropped? My son volunteered for community service, and had to spend a certain number of hours each week working in the police station, dusting, cleaning floors etc. When I fetched him on his last day, two of the constables gave him a heart-to-heart talk about obeying the law, and finished by telling him he should consider joining the police...:)

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You could always run a background check on yourself to find out if it will show up.

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Specializes in Psych, EMS.

You should be fine since the charges are expunged. As a new college kid I kicked down a mailbox and hit several people who were attacking my boyfriend with it...I got charged with assault and destruction of federal property. The assault charges were dropped and the destruction charge was later expunged..I had no problems getting my license and getting a job. Not a mark on my FBI background check. As to whether you choose to disclose your expunged charges, that's up to you. I won't say what I did. ;)

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no it shoudlnt affect you , you may have to ask for pardon .... my friend has a DUI and an ASSULT and battery on a police officer and she asked for pardon and they let her get her RN .....also she told me they were only worried about her violence offense

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Specializes in PACU, OR.
You should be fine since the charges are expunged. As a new college kid I kicked down a mailbox and hit several people who were attacking my boyfriend with it...I got charged with assault and destruction of federal property. The assault charges were dropped and the destruction charge was later expunged..I had no problems getting my license and getting a job. Not a mark on my FBI background check. As to whether you choose to disclose your expunged charges, that's up to you. I won't say what I did. ;)

HA HA HA! Golden Girl or Wonder Woman???? :yeah::yeah::yeah:

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