Concerned about this and other sites

[Kikumaru]

I haven't been around lately and would like to take the time to say "Happy New Year." While browsing the web I came across a website which encourages many in the public to get information on nurses. This is a nationwide database. I entered my name and "with a fee" I could view quite a bit of information on myself. I understand the BRN in many states has this available for many, however, it is limited in the amount of information it discloses. The website is: http://www.choicetrust.com/servlet/com.kx.cs.servlets.CsServlet?usertype=c

I wonder how many other services there are out there. :rotfl: :uhoh21:

[LPN1974, LPN]

What scares me about this is that we are slowly losing our privacy.

This site in combination with other sites, people can gain alot of information on you, me, anyone they want to.

I ran across a site once, that promoted getting information on people you don't like.

Like if your boss is giving you trouble, you can get information on them, to use to your advantage.

We need to be very careful in this day and age, what information we release to other people, altho in some cases you have no choice, such as this particular site already has some information on most of us, and will give it out to anyone who pays $9.95.

We need to be very careful of our social security numbers. Do NOT EVER give your social security number to just anyone who asks for it. The only people who really need it is your job, for tax withholding purposes, and some agency if you are applying for credit.

Do NOT put your SSN on your drivers license, and if it is on there, go get it taken off, get a new drivers license issued to you, even if it costs money. Do it now.

Do not put your SSN or your drivers license number on your checks. if they need your drivers license number let them ask you for it.

My job, the very job I am on right now, for the state of Arkansas, used to make us put our social security number on inservice sheets we had to sign when we attended an inservice. Some of us started putting up a fuss about it, and once there was a big article come out in our state paper about protecting your SSN. I left the whole article where the lady who does inservices, could find it.

Not long after, they started decreasing the requests for our numbers.

NOW, we put our POSITION numbers in places where some ID is asked for.

Just be careful of your SSN and if someone is asking or demanding it from you, find out why, and what are they going to do with it. You do NOT have to give it to every Tom, Dick and Harry who asks for it.

These are just a few things I have learned, and I know it may be a bit off subject, and if most of you already know these, things, then sorry for the long post, but if one person on here does not know then it's worth it.

Younger people may not know these things.

[LPN1974, LPN]

What scares me about this is that we are slowly losing our privacy.

This site in combination with other sites, people can gain alot of information on you, me, anyone they want to.

I ran across a site once, that promoted getting information on people you don't like.

Like if your boss is giving you trouble, you can get information on them, to use to your advantage.

We need to be very careful in this day and age, what information we release to other people, altho in some cases you have no choice, such as this particular site already has some information on most of us, and will give it out to anyone who pays $9.95.

We need to be very careful of our social security numbers. Do NOT EVER give your social security number to just anyone who asks for it. The only people who really need it is your job, for tax withholding purposes, and some agency if you are applying for credit.

Do NOT put your SSN on your drivers license, and if it is on there, go get it taken off, get a new drivers license issued to you, even if it costs money. Do it now.

Do not put your SSN or your drivers license number on your checks. if they need your drivers license number let them ask you for it.

My job, the very job I am on right now, for the state of Arkansas, used to make us put our social security number on inservice sheets we had to sign when we attended an inservice. Some of us started putting up a fuss about it, and once there was a big article come out in our state paper about protecting your SSN. I left the whole article where the lady who does inservices, could find it.

Not long after, they started decreasing the requests for our numbers.

NOW, we put our POSITION numbers in places where some ID is asked for.

Just be careful of your SSN and if someone is asking or demanding it from you, find out why, and what are they going to do with it. You do NOT have to give it to every Tom, Dick and Harry who asks for it.

These are just a few things I have learned, and I know it may be a bit off subject, and if most of you already know these, things, then sorry for the long post, but if one person on here does not know then it's worth it.

Younger people may not know these things.

[cyssan]

I just want to know...

has anybody asked you for permission to publish reports about you?

[LydiaNN]

I checked my name and I don't exist. I guess Pennsylvania is not cooperative with releasing information.

Apparently I don't exist, either. A co-worker is listed, though.

[tmiller027]

This is what the sample report looks like:

Name: John Smith

Credential: MEDICAL DOCTOR

Address: 123 Main Street, Atlanta GA 30319

[phone]

Area of Practice: General Practice

Education: University of South Carolina 1970

Residencies: INTERNSHIP - NORTH CAROLINA BAPTIST HOSP NC - 05-07-1990 to 06-30-1992 UNKNOWN - WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY NC - UNKNOWN to 10-30-1990

Government: ACTIVE DEA REGISTRATION AS OF 04-11-2003 - expires 02-29-2004

Drug Classifications

Schedule 1 Substances ( False )

Schedule 2 Narcotic Substances ( True )

Schedule 2N Non-Narcotic Substances ( True )

Schedule 3 Narcotic Substances ( True )

Schedule 3N Non-Narcotic Substances ( True )

Schedule 4 Substances ( True )

Schedule 5 Substances ( True )

Gender: MALE

Year of Birth: 1962

LICENSE SECTION

License # 1

Issue Date: 1/1/2001

Expiration Date: 12/31/2002

Status: inactive

State: GA

License State: CA

LICENSE RELATED ACTION SECTION

License related actions and items, including disciplinary actions, sanctions, consent orders, consent agreements, dismissals, non-disciplinary communications, advisory letters and other licensing information.

License Action # 1

Date: 01-30-2003

State: GA

Comments: BOARD FINDING: DISHONORABE, UNETHICAL OR UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT WHICH IS LIKELY TO DECEIVE, DEFRAUD OR HARM THE PUBLIC OR ANY MEMBER THEREOF. BOARD ACTION: LICENSE PLACED IN A PROBATIONARY STATUS FOR TWO YEARS BEGINNING JANUARY 20, 2003, WITH CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS. COURT ACTION: DR. SMITH HAS FILED AN APPEAL OF THE BOARD'S ACTION IN THE CIRCUIT COURT AND HAS OBTAINED A STAY OF THE BOARD'S ACTION DURING THE APPEAL PROCEEDING.

Source: Georgia Board of Medicine

[humiliated]

This is a copy of the letter I sent to the Kansas State Board of Nursing regarding my info being listed on the website. I will update everyone when I get a reply from the BON.

I'm writing in regards to a website I came across as a result of surfing a nursing forum by the name of allnurses.com. On allnurses.com I was informed that there are a few websites such as this one http://www.choicetrust.com/servlet/com.kx.cs.servlets.CsServlet?usertype=c that allows anyone to view information about any nurse. When I searched the site for my name, the only info I got on myself was my county and city of of residence plus my zip code. I also did a search on disciplinary action and my name showed up there as well on this site. Although this is the only information I was able to obtain, according to the site if you are willing to pay a fee you can get more info. My concerns are, why was my name even listed under disciplinary action because I have nothing on my record and I would prefer if the site didn't imply that I did and also what other information can a consumer find out about me. I was wanting to know if this site is legal and if you knew what info someone can access about me. With identity theft and the fact I would like to keep my life private can you tell me what I can do to get my name off of this list. Any information regarding the site and others like this would be greatly appreciated. When I decided to become I nurse I had no intentions on my life being invaded nor increases my chances of identity theft or some psycho being able to find me.

Thanks in advance for the information.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

this is a copy of the letter i sent to the kansas state board of nursing regarding my info being listed on the website.

for $1.00 you can verify what info kansas bon releases online:

https://www.accesskansas.org/app/nursing/verification/

need to address disciplinary action pronto.

notice:

all persons licensed by a state for any profession need to be aware that state information is considered public info and has potential to be viewed by anyone who requests it as a matter of public record.

[LilRedRN1973]

I have a question:

We had a short seminar the other day given by the NCLEX people as well as people from our state's Board of Nursing. I hadn't really thought of this before but apparently, we have to provide information on any misdemeanors, felonies, or civil judgments.

About 4 years ago, I was waitressing, served alcohol to a minor, was fined, forgot to pay the fine, a cop showed up at my front door with a warrant, didn't take me in as long as I paid my fine by the next day, paid fine, and all was well.

I had a bankruptcy that will have been discharged 4 years this September.

I have had collection agencies take me to court and won judgements against me previous to my bankruptcy.

I was taken to small claims court about 7 years ago in California (I currently live in NV) and lost the case. Paid the fine and was done with it.

Around that same time (7 years ago), I was in a single car accident and the country tried to charge me with DUI. My BAC was .05 and the legal limit was .08 in CA. I pleaded down to a reckless driving at the advice of the public defender I had. I never lost my license, or spent any time in probation, etc.

My question is that the lady from the state board suggested I go get my own set of fingerprints, in addition to the ones required by the state, to see what is on my record. If I go to this website and pay the fee, will they see the same things that the people from the BON from my state see? I mean, fingerprinting is around $45 here so I might save a few bucks going to this site. I'm worried now because I don't have all this time to spend running around from this courthouse and that courthouse, getting records that might or might not be there. I'm really scared that this is going to prevent me from getting my license.

I'm not a bad person....I just made stupid mistakes in my past that I've paid for, some more than once. Now that I'm getting ready to apply for the NCLEX and licensure, I'm worried that my past will come back to haunt me. I've already been turned down for a job once based on my financial background (i.e. the bankruptcy). I don't want this to prevent me from starting my career as an RN after putting in two years of hard work.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Do you think this website would show me what is still on my personal background file? Or do you think I need to contact any and all courthouses involved in the cases listed above to see what information they still have?

Thanks in advance,

Melanie

[BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN]

melanie, you're not a bad person, imho. just human being who has made a couple of boo boos. other than the questionable dui, i don't think any are that bad. are you worried about the bankruptcy? i hope that's not an issue, as my best friend (who is also a nurse) just filed. she is not a pad person by far, just made some bad financial decisions (as many of us had).

i'm sure we all have some skeletons in our closet. i would venture to guess that no one on this bb (or in the nursing community) is perfect. but the problem is, we are in a type of profession where all of these things are scrutinized heavily. god forbid you (or any of us) make a drastic nursing error, and are called into court. all of our dirty laundry will be hung to dry. on the other hand, a person in almost every other profession can go to lunch and have drinks (i'm sure you know this as a former waitress). how does that make sense???

if you are not licnsed yet, i would think that these things may not appear under your name. do you have written proof of all of your issues, to clear your name if you are questioned? you may want to seek some legal advice, like maybe a nurse attorney. if you get the spectrum or advance for nurses in your area, they usually have ads in the back for attorneys that specialize in these type of issues. it may be worth the $$, for piece of mind.

[LydiaNN]

I have a question:

We had a short seminar the other day given by the NCLEX people as well as people from our state's Board of Nursing. I hadn't really thought of this before but apparently, we have to provide information on any misdemeanors, felonies, or civil judgments.

About 4 years ago, I was waitressing, served alcohol to a minor, was fined, forgot to pay the fine, a cop showed up at my front door with a warrant, didn't take me in as long as I paid my fine by the next day, paid fine, and all was well.

I had a bankruptcy that will have been discharged 4 years this September.

I have had collection agencies take me to court and won judgements against me previous to my bankruptcy.

I was taken to small claims court about 7 years ago in California (I currently live in NV) and lost the case. Paid the fine and was done with it.

Around that same time (7 years ago), I was in a single car accident and the country tried to charge me with DUI. My BAC was .05 and the legal limit was .08 in CA. I pleaded down to a reckless driving at the advice of the public defender I had. I never lost my license, or spent any time in probation, etc.

My question is that the lady from the state board suggested I go get my own set of fingerprints, in addition to the ones required by the state, to see what is on my record. If I go to this website and pay the fee, will they see the same things that the people from the BON from my state see? I mean, fingerprinting is around $45 here so I might save a few bucks going to this site. I'm worried now because I don't have all this time to spend running around from this courthouse and that courthouse, getting records that might or might not be there. I'm really scared that this is going to prevent me from getting my license.

I'm not a bad person....I just made stupid mistakes in my past that I've paid for, some more than once. Now that I'm getting ready to apply for the NCLEX and licensure, I'm worried that my past will come back to haunt me. I've already been turned down for a job once based on my financial background (i.e. the bankruptcy). I don't want this to prevent me from starting my career as an RN after putting in two years of hard work.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Do you think this website would show me what is still on my personal background file? Or do you think I need to contact any and all courthouses involved in the cases listed above to see what information they still have?

Thanks in advance,

Melanie

I'm not sure I would spend the $45 or the effort to run around viewing my background report. You need to answer all the BON's questions truthfully, so it almost doesn't matter if you are able to see whether your past is actually documented... you don't dare take the chance of omitting information from that application.

[tmiller027]

Why would a bankruptcy be relevant to getting a nursing license?