RN BSN in pa

U.S.A. Pennsylvania

Published

I need help. A few years ago, I received probation without verdict in the state of PA for diversion from work. I enrolled into the VRP and have been in it for 2 1/2 yrs. I have done everything they have asked me to do and more. I cant find a job. Eventhough I was told probation without verdict is different and it will be expunged in Sept 2012 (ug) no one will hire me. I go on endless interviews and everytime between my resume (which is great..20 yrs of wonderful experience) and my bsn (I had a 4.0 when i went back to get my BSN) I get the job but when they do the background check and find probation without verdict with 5 felonys they never call back. I am a great nurse. I just need the chance to show that. I am desperate and dont know where to turn...I am the sole support of 2 teenagers and cant find a job to support them. I have full support from PNAP and they want to give me a great reference, but no one will give me a chance. I have over 2 1/2 years documented clean..I really have more than that..but that is documented thru the vrp. I just dont know where to look for a job. Please help me because my children need me to work...and I need me to work...I live outside of Pittsburgh, Pa...please please help me.

I don't understand what you're asking for in your post. Are you asking for someone on this board to hire you? No offense, but I don't think too many employers will hire someone with 5 felonies. You have 2 more felonies than DMX!

Honestly, I would look for another line of work until your record is expunged. There are plenty of nurses with clean records and stellar GPAs who cannot find work. In this economy, the employer can be very picky, and I'm sorry, but probably does not want to take the risk with so many choices in the first place.

Specializes in Hospice / Psych / RNAC.

The background check that's done when you're hired will show expunged things. It did when I was hired at my last job. An expunged DUI from 1986 showed up. I even forgot that I even had it. When a background check is pending now days I put the expunged DUI on the sheet because I know it will show up anyway. My last job was with the government so perhaps it's a different background check then hospitals do but that's my experience with background checks.

So ... I don't know what to say to people who have records and depend on the expunged stuff not to show up. Never the less; I wish you success in your endeavors.

Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

I'm sorry you're having such a rough time finding nursing employment. I hate to say it, but 5 felonies will probably be a deal breaker until that magical date in Sept of 2012 comes around. How about finding work outside of nursing until then?

Specializes in FNP.

I suspect you are going to be paying for those mistakes for as yet an undetermined length of time. You may not find it possible to reenter nursing, at least for some while. You should probably look for some type of work that will not require a background check.

Good luck.

Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

I know of someone, an old friend of mine from before I was a nurse, who was in NA. He did volunteer counseling at a youth D+A Rehab after he was clean for a long time. As with any hospital/care setting, there were nurses on these units. I recall him saying most of the nurses were in recovery.

Perhaps looking into nursing on a recovery/rehab unit would open a door? IDK. You might be in a position where you have to search outside your geographical area of comfort and move if you are hired, but that's better than nothing.

Good luck.

Try the VA, Psych hospitals specially in Subtance Abuse Units, or come to Florida, southwest area are really need nurses during winter season

I went to my lawyer the other day to have him explain probation without verdict. I have not been convicted on any criminal violations. He wrote me a letter to help with the job search and in it it states "People who receive probation without verdict are not adjudicated guilty. Rather, they are placed on a period of probation" So, in actuality, I do not have 5 felonies and 6 misdemeanors..I have probation. Hard to get employers to see the difference...impossible I think. It is similar to ARD programs.

I would also love to reply to finallyfound10 but the site will not let me private message you back.

"People who receive probation without verdict are not adjudicated guilty. Rather, they are placed on a period of probation" So, in actuality, I do not have 5 felonies and 6 misdemeanors..I have probation. Hard to get employers to see the difference...impossible I think. It is similar to ARD programs.

PBJ is an admittance of guilt or the probability of a court being able to find guilt, without wasting the tax dollars to do so. PBJ is a way of saying that you did the crime, and are not contesting the fact, but that you are otherwise a good person with a previously clean record, and that you showed enuf circumstance to evoke empathy from the judge, who may or may not be notoriously liberal.

in any case, you did 11 crimes of diversion. that is 11 breaches of trust. it is 11 instances in which you put your convenience and desire above the safety or prescribed treatment of an individual in your care.

it is not possible to overstate the seriousness of the offense, or the relevance of it to your repeated rejection. PBJ should not be an option in such cases.

you might try looking for another kind of work in which people's safety is not entrusted to your care. personally, i would not feel safe as your patient, no matter how long you have "been clean".

RegretfulLPN this site will not let me private message you because I have not been on the site in a long time. Email me to [email protected]. This was several years ago and YES I WORK AS A RN NOW. So haters, I fought and overcame.

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