Criminal Background check

nursesrthebest · Aug 27, 2003

nurse 101

are you saying that you still have the warrant against you? I think that as long as it not a felony you still should be able to get your license. I had a similar situation- I had a speeding ticket 3 years ago, and I failed to appear in court- so I had warrant for failure to appear in court... a misdemeanor.. To make a long story short ... when I tried too get my ATT to take NCLEX, I had to send the paper work from the court house and to the Board of Nursing in my state with an explanation... I got my ATT, and I passed my Boards!

nurse101 · Aug 27, 2003

Did you have to settle the issue first? Yes, the warrant is still open in another state. What did you have to do to settle the issue? Thanks for your reply. And yes, nurses are the best. My mom is a nurse as well as my husband's stepmom.

Sara Sara · Aug 27, 2003

If you did it, they will find it!!! They do take things into consideration and you will have an opportunity to explain.

It would be much worse if you denied anything being on your record. It is nationwide and they will find it. It is much better to explain something that was in the past instead of why you lied to the nursing board!

Hope you fins this helpful.....and good luck!

llg, PhD, RN · Aug 27, 2003

I agree whole-heartedly with Sara Sara. The worst sin to commit is that of not telling the truth, concealing, covering-up, etc. Most employers will fire you for that on the spot. Those same employers will usually be quite reasonable if you are up front with them from the beginning. They will consider all of the facts before making hiring decision.

You should come clean with the school and talk with the State Board of Nursing. Only they can give you the facts based on your particular situation and the laws of your state. Be responsible and clean up your record. Then you can move forward without any skeletons in your closet.

I've dealt with other students and job applicants in similar positions and honesty is always the best policy in these situations. Anything else just gets you in deeper trouble.

Good luck,

llg

nurse101 · Aug 28, 2003

Thanks to you both on the info. I have an appointment today with an attorney to see what my options are. It is an out of state warrant, and I was never convicted. Hopefully, I can get this fixed without going 3000 miles and missing classes. It's amazing how old relationships still come back to haunt. It was such a stupid incident. Actually, I should have never been charged.

I'm looking forward to my future career and am heartbroken that this could possibly jeopardize it. Thanks to you both for your replies. I will keep you posted on how it goes.

One last ?. Do you think I should call the State Board now, or wait two and half years when I graduate and apply to take the NCLEX?

Sara Sara · Aug 28, 2003

One last ?. Do you think I should call the State Board now, or wait two and half years when I graduate and apply to take the NCLEX?

I think that is a question best asked of the attorney you are going to visit. I wish I knew an answer for ya ! Good luck!

nursesrthebest · Aug 30, 2003

I did go to court to have the issue settled, but it was before I when to nursing school. I had to send copies of the court records to the board of nursing, and with an explanation. Honesty is the best policy.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Aug 30, 2003

Absolutely. When I was younger I had several warrants out on me for failure to appear (again with the @#*!!% speeding tickets) and failure to comply with a court order, which eventually resulted in a misdemeanor conviction and the payment of a rather large fine.

Years later when I applied for entrance to my nursing program, one of the questions on the app was "Have you ever been arrested/charged/convicted of any misdemeanor or felony?". I hadn't thought about my youthful indiscretions in over a decade, and I wanted worse than anything to deny that I was anything but lily-white in the criminal department. Luckily, by that time I had a clear record with the court (I'd written to them to find out where I stood, and I'd gotten the nicest note back from the clerk stating my conviction had been expunged, and wishing me good luck in my nursing career). But I still had to be truthful about having been arrested, even though I no longer had a criminal record, and I was glad later that I did because one of my classmates was dropped from the program in the last semester because the BON had done federal records checks on all of us and discovered that he'd lied about a DUI 25 years earlier.

Whatever you do, be very straightforward with your BON about your past, no matter how insignificant it might seem in the general scheme of things. They won't deny you a license for most misdemeanors, but they will if they have to find out about it on their own, because their view is that a nurse who lacks integrity in small matters cannot be trusted to do the right thing when the stakes are higher.

I'm sure you will do fine and be a great nurse. Don't let the mistakes of the past hold you back!

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Sep 5, 2003

The NCBON can be very forgiving and understanding of one's indiscretions from years ago. (We had one student who actually had President Bush's office send a letter to the NCBON exonerating her from a dishonorable discharge from the military that had happened many years earlier--it worked! She got her license.) The key is to be scrupulously honest with them. No deceit. The BON will NOT forgive dishonesty.

brownfoxx · Nov 26, 2005

Just curious, I hear alot about misdemenors. What about someone who was a wild child so to speak and hung out with the wrong crowd during the teenage years, became tangled up with the law and ended up with a felony or maybe 2. Is their any consideration for those who grew up and changed their lives, Became a mother, wife and a firm believer in the Lord Jesus Christ? Is your history from 12 years ago play such a major role in if you can become a nurse today?

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Nov 26, 2005

Is your history from 12 years ago play such a major role in if you can become a nurse today?

Yes, it does. Follow the above advice: report it, contact court system to see if it can be expunged but DON"T OMIT it on any application for job or license application: those that do are denied licensure for "falsification of record".