Disorderly conduct charge

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · May 14, 2018

Lying is never good. Re-think that.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · May 14, 2018

I have been going crazy about this! So last year I received a disorderly conduct hazardous/ physical offense charge and was let go with a fine. What I am wondering is if there are different levels of disorderly conducts? I am so confused about this. My real question is if I am able to get away with going into an interview and sugar coating this disorderly conduct, or are they able to somehow look up what "level" or "grade" it is and why you got it? Or can you completely make this charge sound something as innocent as peeing in a bush?
The real story is that that I was caught with a small amount of marijuana in my car, the officer didn't think it was a big deal and let me go with the disorderly conduct and fine. I do not want to share this with further employers and hope I can make up another story in my interview as to why I got this charge. I am about to join a nursing program and worked very hard to get to this point! Is this possible, or am I over thinking this whole thing? Help!!
P.S I do not use any type of other drugs nor plan to as a nurse, I just wanted to de stress the night before my final- ( I was on my way there when I got this charge!)

The admins here at AN have made it clear that this is not a site which is to be used by members to encourage lying, cheating, or any other unethical behavior by nurses or nursing students.

Stick as close to the truth as possible. Future employers and Boards of Nursing will do back ground checks on you. If you lie about your criminal history, you will be found out and you will not receive permission to take the NCLEX.

We have a forum here on AN for nurses with a criminal history. Perhaps you can get better feedback from people who have gone through this process.

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · May 14, 2018

Lets see hiding it from them or coming clean? Yeah I wouldn't hire you either.

P.s. I got a disorderly conduct charge right before I started my program. It didn't affect my status at all because I was up front about the entire thing. Even though I completed my probation and the charges were officially dropped, I still fill out on my state endorsement applications that I had the charges brought against me. Honesty is the best policy.

Editorial Team / Moderator · May 14, 2018

You are just starting a nursing program? You have bigger hurdles to overcome sooner, like not being rejected by clinical sites and getting the BON to license you.

llg, PhD, RN · May 14, 2018

If it shows up on a criminal background check, you may be required to submit copies of the court record of the case. So, any lie will be discovered. As painful as the truth may be for you to tell, it's a lot better to tell the truth than to lie and get found out.

baileej16 · May 15, 2018

Yes, I hate lying and wish not to do it. I will just be up front and honest and cross my fingers I will still be able to get a job!

baileej16 · May 15, 2018

Good to know. I will just be honest and hope for the best, I would be devastated if I don't get hired from this stupid mistake. Ugh!

baileej16 · May 15, 2018

I am not one to lie, like ever, but since I know this incident was a stupid mistake and won't ever happen again I felt as if sugar coating it wouldn't even matter. I am just going to be up front about the whole thing. It is just so embarrassing!

baileej16 · May 15, 2018

Good to know. I'm better at being honest than lying anyway! Thank you.

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · May 16, 2018

Just be honest about it. You are not the first college student to smoke a little bit of pot and get caught. Yes, it's a controlled substance. No, you shouldn't have had it, but you did. You made a mistake and learned from it. The important thing would be to express that you know that it was wrong, it was a one time mistake, and that you are not using anything anymore. The school/employer will know if you are clean with their drug test anyways. I would be more worried if you had something stronger (such as what you will be giving patients as a nurse or worse) or if you had enough to be considered distributing.

Neats, BSN · May 16, 2018

I can tell you that I would not hire you just from your content. What you are about to do with your professional career is take care of people who are in need of assistance either well or ill. I need to be on my A game each time I am dealing with a patient, it is my job as a nurse to help them and I do not want to be under the influence with anything.

What you are suggesting is lying and we should all be above reproach. I would be honest with what happened and own your actions/decisions. I hold you to a higher standard because of your profession.

I am one to support "Pot" however I have too many licenses to lose, would not use this to de-stress but for medicinal purposes (arthritis or cancer) when I do not have the responsibility to assist patients.

It makes me think what else are you willing to use to de-stress. There are a lot of "legal" ways to de-stress i.e. exercise, music, yoga, a hobby, laughter, you get what I am saying.

Sorry for being so harsh but lives are important.