Arrested while Occupying Wall Street - Will I Be Hireable?

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I'm wondering if anyone has any insight on what the potential problems would be with getting hired, or even doing student clinicals in a hospital, if you've been arrested during a non-violent protest. I am considering joining in the attempt to shut down the NY Stock Exchange on Thursday, to honor the 2-month anniversary of the beginning of the Occupy Wall Street movement, and it is at least somewhat likely that many people will be arrested during this action.

Likely charges for this kind of arrest would be something like "disorderly conduct" (impeding of traffic, failure to disperse after being given an order to do so, creating annoyance or alarm in public, loitering, etc). I don't think most people arrested during an Occupy protest have spent even one night in jail, but charges are being pressed so people are ending up with criminal records on misdemeanor charges.

I'm not even a nursing student yet - I'm hoping to enter an accelerated BSN/MSN program in the spring. But I am wondering if anyone knows what kind of issues there might be for me as a student and as a future nurse if I'm arrested during a protest, just so I go into this with my eyes open.

Anyone have any experience with this?

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Specializes in Oncology.

Why risk it? An arrest might even limit your chances of getting into school.

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bro,

i appreciate your idealism, and overall zeal for wanting to make a difference. but trust me, from personal experience of having past misdemeanors, and knowing first-hand how much these MATTER TO NURSING BOARDS...i would sit this one out, or just hold a nice sign and sit on the sidelines.

thought for the day: If your goal is to work for the Man, it's best not to fight the Man.

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Because it's a movement that I believe in deeply, and it's one that I think needs a shot in the arm at this point.

I'm just asking if anyone has any experience or insight with having being arrested during a protest and its effect on your school/work life. Surely people must have faced this after the widespread anti-war protests in 2002/03?

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bro,

i appreciate your idealism, and overall zeal for wanting to make a difference. but trust me, from personal experience of having past misdemeanors, and knowing first-hand how much these MATTER TO NURSING BOARDS...i would sit this one out, or just hold a nice sign and sit on the sidelines.

thought for the day: If your goal is to work for the Man, it's best not to fight the Man.

Haha - thanks for the insight! My goal isn't to work for the Man. I'd like to be in independent practice. But obviously I have to get lots of clinical experience first, so the Man needs to be reckoned with. :)

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

Obviously we can not give legal advice here on Allnurses, but if Occupy Wall Street is something that truly matters to you as well as a future in nursing, then I would call your state's Board of Nursing to get their take on it. That way you would know if there would be any obstacles with licensure or such.

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Specializes in NICU, ER, OR.

I think if being a nurse is important to you than even risking it is fooilsh. whats more important to you? holding one of a thousand signs up, or having a career?

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Why risk it? An arrest might even limit your chances of getting into school.

I agree. Not to mention passing the background check for boards, and getting employment. Honestly, I really don't know how such an arrest would be perceived, but I'd say that the peace of mind of not having to worry about a not so clean record, would trump everything in the long run. Show your support in spirit.

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Specializes in Hospice.

A key element of the various OWS demonstrations is civil disobedience ... often honored more in the breach, it's true.

Civil disobedience, to have any force or validity at all, must include the willingness to be arrested and take the legal and social consequences for the act of protest.

If you're not willing to go there, it might be better to find another way to support the action ... donation, letters to the editor ... there are lots of ways to go that do not expose you to arrest and prosecution.

Only you can say what you're willing to risk. The above posters are right ... it's not possible to say for sure that there would be no lasting consequences to being arrested. Moral conviction usually doesn't cut it when dealing with institutions or the BON.

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.
Haha - thanks for the insight! My goal isn't to work for the Man. I'd like to be in independent practice. But obviously I have to get lots of clinical experience first, so the Man needs to be reckoned with. :)

Not sure what will happen, but as much as you don't want to work for the Man, you do have the BON. I think they are scarier than Man.:D

My daughter is really into protests. I'm telling her to tread carefully. Yes, things need to change, but I would hate to see her future ruined for something she can't change, because it's larger than her or the protesters. Wall Street will survive and where will she be, you know?

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Having a record will make life about 10,000 times harder for you in the medical field. Explaining a history is somewhat of a huge pain that will delay your ability to get a license, fingerprint card, or job.

As public servants we serve at the discretion of the state, breaking their laws is frowned upon.

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Specializes in LDRP.

go, but get yourself somewhere in the middle... the police are more likely to arrest people on the outsides of the protest mob, simply because they are easy to get to. :p

really it is unlikely you will be arrested if you are nonviolently protesting and thats it. from the documentaries ive seen the police normally warn before they start making arrests. if they say something like "we need everyone to leave this particular street or they will be arrested." i would go ahead and leave that street. people have been living in the park and protesting for 2 months without getting arrested, just be smart, dont mouth off to a cop or do something illegal.

its possible to get into school with a misdemeanor, but you might go completely through school and then the BON wont let you take boards. its also possible that they will let you take the boards with a misdemeanor, but i would not depend on it, especially since the charge would be so fresh. you will have to jump through hoops, explain yourself, and probably show some remorse.

good luck to you, i believe in the cause too, with i had to balls to go there.

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