Can I be denied clinical pl acement from an EXPUNGED RECORD

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so I'm 21 years old.back in my senior year of high school I was hanging with the wrong crowd and caught a charge. Class H felony.i just had it expunged and this was my ONLY FIRST TIME OFFENSE..I'm trying to pursue nursing but I'm having to jump threes few hoops.herzing university of Brookfield is telling me I was accepted but they don't know if I can be clinically placed? Has anyone ever had these issues.i thought after expungement only those with court orders can reveal a sealed case? Will I be able to pursue nursing? Again schools will accept me but they don't kno if I'll be able to finish due to clinicals?

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Welcome to allnurses! :balloons:

I've been faculty in a couple of different nursing programs and directly involved in arranging clinicals. The short answer is that hospitals and other clinical settings reserve the right to refuse any student, for any reason. Schools are correct in telling you that they can't guarantee that you'll be able to complete clinicals. At the last BSN program in which I taught, the school only did background checks because the clinical facilities insisted on them, not because the school cared (on the other hand, I did have concerns about the school being willing to accept and take tuition money x4 yrs from students who they reasonably expected to have problems getting licensed, because of their legal history, without saying anything to the students. When I asked the program director about the ethics of that, I was told that students' legal background and possible difficulty in getting licensed was between them and the BON, and not the school's concern).

Sorry I can't give you any more positive info than that ... Best wishes! I hope you'll find a way to work things out.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
so I'm 21 years old.back in my senior year of high school I was hanging with the wrong crowd and caught a charge. Class H felony.i just had it expunged and this was my ONLY FIRST TIME OFFENSE..I'm trying to pursue nursing but I'm having to jump threes few hoops.herzing university of Brookfield is telling me I was accepted but they don't know if I can be clinically placed? Has anyone ever had these issues.i thought after expungement only those with court orders can reveal a sealed case? Will I be able to pursue nursing? Again schools will accept me but they don't kno if I'll be able to finish due to clinicals?

Well, as there can only be one 'first time offense' so saying it is your only first time offense is a bit misleading.

Students are GUESTS of clinical sites. They may decline you for any reason they choose. They do not have to give a reason.

Expungement does NOT make things like felonies go away in the world of healthcare.

The BON is charged with protecting the public and in order to do so they are the gate-keepers of entry to the profession. And generally speaking, persons with felonies have two strikes against them right off the bat- nursing wise. Since you are only 21, it may be just too soon to expect a clinical site or the BON to look past your crime.

I'm sure this is not what you want to hear- but it is the truth.

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Although I don't agree with the stance of the program director that told elkpark that the school is not interested in a student's legal problems and their ability to become licensed, at least they were open about it. However, this information should be readily available to students before they start forking over tuition. Highly unethical to keep everything a big secret as long as the money is coming in. But then, the money is coming in, and that is apparently what is important at that school.

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Although I don't agree with the stance of the program director that told elkpark that the school is not interested in a student's legal problems and their ability to become licensed, at least they were open about it. However, this information should be readily available to students before they start forking over tuition. Highly unethical to keep everything a big secret as long as the money is coming in. But then, the money is coming in, and that is apparently what is important at that school.

I agree -- that's one of the reasons I left that teaching position after finishing out the academic year.

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But even when I first was sentenced I've worked in the healthcare field..I've obtained my nurse aid certificate and also I became a certified dialysis tech

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So my question is thee still a chance I can become a nurse..all I need is a school that will give me a chance.?

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I'm not understanding.ive even worked in hospitals with the felony on my record..so are you saying I can work in these hospitals with a felony but I can't learn in them even with my record being expunged?

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That's my biggest problem.so basically I won't kno which schools clinical sites won't accpt me unless I pay schools tuition a few senester

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You have to answer the application for your nursing license truthfully... if it wants you to include even expunged arrests then you'll have to include that. However that doesn't mean they will necessarily deny your license, assuming you go through with and complete school. I would imagine the fact that you did have it expunged would really help. All of the state's BON run differently so I would advise you to call the BON in your state and ask them. It can't hurt to try to get an answer.

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The school is telling you they will take your money, but have doubts if you can complete your clinical rotations. In my state, the BON clearly states that you must make full disclosure, even regarding expunged records.

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@Been there done that I don't think my problem is licensure I'm trying to figure out is or has there ever been a nurse that had felony records expunged and were still able to pursue

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