Criminal Background Checks

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What is the National background check consist of? What are they looking for? Felonies, misdemeanors, or summary offences?

I am in a pre nursing program and they were talking about backgrounds and I do have a summary and misdemeanor from when I was younger. Me and my daughters father got into it years ago and we both got arrested and spent 5 hours in jail. I didn't even have to pay a fine. he was abusive. I moved 700 miles away. But now I fear that I won't be able to go to clinical because of this. Some one told me they just check for felonies. Am I in the clear?

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At the school I am in, all of our background information is forwarded to the specific clinical locations. It is up to the policy at each clinical site if the students can participate at that location. Some sites may not have issues with felonies, and other sites may have issues with misdemeanors. I would suggest asking your school's nursing advisor if your past would impact your clinical rotations.

Best of luck to you!

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At my school, they do an FBI backgound check (including fingerprinting) and a general criminal background check. They say that if we have misdemeanors or less we'll still be accepted, just not if we have felonies.

A friend of mine was worried about what would come up on her background check because she had a shoplifting charge from 6 years ago. When her background check came up, the shoplifting wasn't even on there. Maybe because she paid her fines and did community service, as sentened.

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But keep in mind you usually have one for licensure too! So I would talk to your faculty. And please be honest when applying for your license. I had a girl in my nursing class that swore her record was clear. She had juvenile stuff though that showed up on her state check and she was thisclose to not getting her license. It took almost 6 months to figure it out with the board.

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sheenacrawford said:
What is the National background check consist of? What are they looking for? Felonies, misdemeanors, or summary offences?

I am in a prenursing program and they were talking about backgrounds and I do have a summary and misdemeanor from when I was younger. Me and my daughters father got into it years ago and we both got arrested and spent 5 hours in jail. I didn't even have to pay a fine. he was abusive. I moved 700 miles away. But now I fear that I won't be able to go to clinical because of this. Some one told me they just check for felonies. Am I in the clear?

Thanks for the help

The criminal background check does check for anything you have been charged with however, I really don't think you have to worry. It will ask on a lot of applications for employment if you have been convicted of a crime other than a misdemeanor and some want you to include that. I think the biggest concern is if you have a had a crime against you in which you have hurt or abused a patient, child or had anything to do with drugs or the possession of them. Certainly anything to do with drugs or alcohol on a job I think your safe. I hope that helps.

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I have a charge of fighting on my record (misdemeanor) in which I paid a $2oo fine. Although I have not applied for the boards yet, I graduate in May with my BSN, my school background check did not hold me back from completing clinicals. All my teachers have told me to disclose the truth on the state board application and I should be fine. Students have had DUIs on their backgrounds and gotten to take state boards because they were honest, dishonesty is usually what holds you back from what I've heard

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Yea I agree. With all the new laws and DUI's and seems like more and more people are being charged with things than I can ever remember. If you look in the paper it's every week. I agree be honest. The thing is I still think what they are looking for is your ability to care and be responsible at work. Everyone has personal problems outside of work. With all the nurses out there we aren't above it all. But if you are doing things that are going to affect your patients or your ability to care them or are a threat to them it's a different story.

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Hello, I would like to share my own story because when I got into a mess I read so many post that lead me to believe there wasn't hope. About a year into Nursing school I got a theft charge. I had never been in trouble in my life and prided myself on what a good citizen I am.. .lol I had stopped and picked up 13 bricks from the edge of town that had been sitting for years and were covered in dirt and grass. I thought it was a shame and sought to make something of them. I was going to make a flower bed in my back yard. It was the middle of the day and my actions were out in the open. A police man came by and said that the bricks were the cities and charged me with theft. I felt my world was over and after reading everyone's post on message boards was certain of it! Eventually the charge was dismissed and I had the charge expunged. Again the internet and persistent Googling led me to believe just having a charge made me hopeless and even though it was expunged the board would see it.

Happy Ending - The board never saw my charge! It didn't even show up on the FBI and BCI background check. I received my Approval To Test and an offer for a great job before I was even licensed in Ohio.

If God put it on your heart to be a nurse then you should be a nurse. Pray about and take the legal steps you can to make good on your actions and God will see you through!!

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

To the OP, though it's been more than a year: criminal record checks usually pull for both felonies and misdemeanors...and some may even throw in infractions as well. Whether the person running the check tells you they found anything on your record is a different story...they may see the misdemeanors/infractions and be fine with them.

One of the best ways to see what is on your record is to run a check on yourself. If you can, find out what service(s) the school and BON use. It does cost $30-40 per run, but knowing exactly what is on there before the school/BON does so you can prepare may be worth it.

As far as expunged charges, keep in mind that many--if not all--BONs require the applicant to disclose sealed, juvenile, dismissed and/or expunged charges. You can look at your local BON's website to see exactly what you need to disclose. If you don't tell the BON about an expunged/sealed/etc. charge and they discover it later on, you can lose your license because the BON would consider your actions as fraudulent.

As always, seek a lawyer for legal advice when it comes to your criminal record and applying/dealing with schools, BONs and employers.

Best of luck!

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HI,

I hope somebody can help me. I graduated nursing school this past December 2013, I applied to the Illinois BON, and I passed my NCLEX. I applied for my license and have had a job offer which my boss is holding for me, for how long I don't know. I just found out that my license is getting held up because something came back on my background check. I went to my county courthouse and found out that I have a couple of misdemeanors from 22 and 23 years ago for driving on a suspended license. I didn't tell the BON about these things because I really didn't know they were misdemeanors, I know it sounds stupid but then again 22 years ago I was stupid and I don't remember what they told me in court. I thought I just had traffic violations.. The BON told me to get court documents and a write them a letter of explaination.... What does any body think or know about how this may turn out for me.. I am totally scared that they wont give me my nursing license????? Help:(

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
lindalarson70 said:
HI,

I hope somebody can help me. I graduated nursing school this past December 2013, I applied to the Illinois BON, and I passed my NCLEX. I applied for my license and have had a job offer which my boss is holding for me, for how long I don't know. I just found out that my license is getting held up because something came back on my background check. I went to my county courthouse and found out that I have a couple of misdemeanors from 22 and 23 years ago for driving on a suspended license. I didn't tell the BON about these things because I really didn't know they were misdemeanors, I know it sounds stupid but then again 22 years ago I was stupid and I don't remember what they told me in court. I thought I just had traffic violations.. The BON told me to get court documents and a write them a letter of explaination.... What does any body think or know about how this may turn out for me.. I am totally scared that they won't give me my nursing license????? Help:(

I can understand your confusion--a lot of traffic offenses are not misdemeanors but infractions, which depending on your BON's tastes may or may not have to be reported. So many assume that unless the traffic ticket is a "biggie" (I.e., DUI), it's nothing. Alas, not true.

All you can do is do as the BON asks: write that letter, submit the documents. Also see if there's any supporting evidence you can provide, such as character references, completion of any drivers' ed programs, etc.

I'd also consider seeking out an attorney's advice, especially if you will have to appear before the BON, as the BON is not the nurse's friend.

Best of luck.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

I'm in the same situation, although I am applying for my CNA licence/exam. I had a ding on my background check from a misdemeanor that happened 19 years ago. It was for a bounced check that I took care of but when I took the receipts and record to the sheriff (because they had a warrant out) to prove that I had paid it they arrested me and put me in jail for about 3 hours, then took me to a judge who cleared the case. However, 19 years later, I did the fingerprint and background check last month to take the test and I cannot, because of this misdemeanor that I thought was taken care of. I was licenced to work in a pharmacy for years and there was no issue! I want to pull my hair out over this.

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