DWI and taking the NCLEX..

bsyrn, ASN, RN · Feb 14, 2012

Yes the school can possibly kick you out, and yes it is possible that your BON may refuse to let you sit for NCLEX. You really may have screwed up your career before it's started. Not to mention you could have killed someone driving while under the influence.
I really, honest to goodness have no sympathy for you. For crying out loud...this close to graduation and you get drunk and drive? You should feel guilty. I hope you look over your shoulder a long time for this.
Even if you do manage to graduate and sit for NCLEX and pass it, you may have a really hard time getting a job, particularly in this market. Who's a manager going to want to hire, you or someone who didn't get arrested for DUI?
Personally, I hope the judge throws the book at you. We do not take DUI seriously in this country, and people are dying because of it.

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

While I in NO WAY condone drinking and driving, I think the OP has figured out what she has done and the potential consequences of her actions and will be harder on herself than anyone here could ever be. She came here for advice and should not get bashed for it.

Epic_RN · Feb 14, 2012

People make mistakes. We are all human. My brother, the most responsible person I know, has a DUI on his record. Was he plastered? No. Was he stupid to get behind the wheel after 2 drinks 2 hours apart? Yes. Did he learn his lesson $14,000 later? Yes.

Own it, pay for it, learn from it, and move on.

BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN · Feb 14, 2012

Laws differ by state, hence the BON in your state will have different ideas on how they handle what you did. In my state, a DUI is a felony if a child under the age of 16 in in the car. Not saying that this describes YOUR instance, but I wanted to throw it out there that what is considered a felony can be more that whether or not a person was killed because of your decision to drive while impaired.

And yes, as cold-hearted as I know this will sound (and some will call me out for it, I am sure), difficulty obtaining a job after licensure (should you get licensure) is hopefully a very real possibility for you. PLENTY of nurses who DON'T choose to put their lives the lives of countless innocent individuals in harms way may be more deserving of a job than those with a history with the judicial system =(

BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN · Feb 14, 2012

Trav, you may have a negative opinion of what OCNRN posted, but I can't help but notice that she's gotten 13 "likes" on it so far....

giveface · Feb 14, 2012

Yes the school can possibly kick you out, and yes it is possible that your BON may refuse to let you sit for NCLEX. You really may have screwed up your career before it's started. Not to mention you could have killed someone driving while under the influence.
I really, honest to goodness have no sympathy for you. For crying out loud...this close to graduation and you get drunk and drive? You should feel guilty. I hope you look over your shoulder a long time for this.
Even if you do manage to graduate and sit for NCLEX and pass it, you may have a really hard time getting a job, particularly in this market. Who's a manager going to want to hire, you or someone who didn't get arrested for DUI?
Personally, I hope the judge throws the book at you. We do not take DUI seriously in this country, and people are dying because of it.

Holy judgmental and self-righteous much. The OP clearly feels guilty and you aren't helping an already ugly situation. I wholeheartedly agree she got herself into this mess and deserves to work hard to get herself out of it, but still.

101. On my list of things I hated about nursing school is self-righteous, overly opinionated classmates.

guest563546 · Feb 14, 2012

We were advised by our instructors that the BON looks down on criminal activity that you engage in while attending nursing school even more so than they do if it happened before you were admitted. Not sure if that's true, or if they were just trying to keep us ship-shape, but I'd focus every spare ounce of energy into this situation. Not sure what you can do, but I'd take every recommended course of action toward an obvious attempt at bettering myself. I'd enroll in DUI school asap, and possibly substance abuse counselling (unless your atty thinks that would be counter-productive).

JSJones,RN · Feb 14, 2012

ColleenRN2B- Having 13 "likes" on a post such as OCNRN's further justifies Trav's second sentence of his post! Nothing like kicking people when they're down! I'm sure yourself and OCNRN have never made mistakes but I for one am human and unfortunately have made a lot of mistakes in my life but those mistakes, which happened outside of my nursing career, do not determine how good of a nurse I am or my ablilities to perform tasks as a nurse. I do not condone drinking and driving, I've never had a DUI or speeding ticket for that matter, but I am a big enough person to realize people make mistakes and it isn't my place, or anyone else's, to judge them.

EmJeanRN, ASN, RN · Feb 14, 2012

Graduation is in 3 months, so taking the NCLEX is a few weeks after that. I got a DWI this past Saturday and court is Friday...can they kick me out of school for getting a DWI? Can the BON prevent me from taking the NCLEX? Is there additional paperwork or hoops I have to jump through now? I'm getting a lawyer hopefully tomorrow but I'm really scared I scrwed up my whole nursing career before it even begins..
(and yes, I've learned....I feel like a ****** person for getting a DWI, I could've hurt someone or my self and the guilt is killing me.....)

Erica,

Number 1...you have not been convicted yet. Until and if you are officially convicted and sentenced you have possibilities.

Number 2...hire the best DUI lawyer you can find. Do not skimp on cost at this time.

Number 3...if you are convicted...be sure to honestly disclose this information on all paperwork to the BON and employers where it is requested. Not being honest will be discovered. If you are convicted of a DUI, it will show up on background checks.

Number 4...refer to number 1 and 2 NOW.

Emergency RN · Feb 14, 2012

i agree with the points that emjeanrn stated; namely getting charged with dwi/dui and getting convicted of dwi/dui are two very different legal positions. in the us, jurisprudence leans in the direction of presumption of innocence. however, how a school administrator looks upon this may be a very individual thing that has nothing to do with law. the op at this point, imho should keep his or her mouth shut and seek legal counsel, not just for the criminal aspects of this case, but for potential roadblock to future state licensure. moreover, the attorney should review with her what her legal or academic obligations are, insofar as her schooling is concerned. some schools may not give a rat's behind what you do until there's an actual conviction whilst others may try to expel you just on rumor of misdeed.

that said, there's plenty of room here for guilt as well as moralizing; how much each of us needs to partake (of one versus the other) really depends upon how we each see the world. no sense kicking a dead horse over it, no one is going to change their opinion any time soon.

my personal advice to the op is, like everything we learn in or out of nursing school, some lessons are much more personally meaningful and powerful than others. what one does with that information from that point on, will ultimately show whether the lesson had some value or not. good luck to you in all that you do

Guttercat, ASN, RN · Feb 14, 2012

Oy.

Tough thread.

In the late 80's/early 90's laws weren't as tough and some of the crap I pulled as a teenager/young adult...it was by luck and circumstance and grace that I did not kill myself or others on a couple of occasions.

I shudder to think of it now.

Good luck OP. You have an extra hurdle to overcome. What's done is done and you can't fix it (a generalized life-lesson I've learned the hard way once or twice). Perhaps get involved in an anti-drunk driving group? That shows moxy and determinedness to overcome, on any resume.

Use this momentary failing to your advantage. Everyone loves a story of a person who has risen above circumstance and bad decisions. Why? Because there are two groups of people: those that screw up, or those that will. We can all relate.

chuckster, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Feb 14, 2012

Yes the school can possibly kick you out, and yes it is possible that your BON may refuse to let you sit for NCLEX. You really may have screwed up your career before it's started. Not to mention you could have killed someone driving while under the influence.
I really, honest to goodness have no sympathy for you. For crying out loud...this close to graduation and you get drunk and drive? You should feel guilty. I hope you look over your shoulder a long time for this.
Even if you do manage to graduate and sit for NCLEX and pass it, you may have a really hard time getting a job, particularly in this market. Who's a manager going to want to hire, you or someone who didn't get arrested for DUI?
Personally, I hope the judge throws the book at you. We do not take DUI seriously in this country, and people are dying because of it.

Wow, really? Do you feel the same about those who use cell phones or worse, text and drive?

I can't tell you the number of times I've almost been hit by drivers using their phones instead of trying to drive. The newer data indicate that cell phone usage and/or texting while driving are far greater road menaces than are drunk drivers, not least because there are so many, many offenders out there and virtually no traffic enforcement for this dangerous offense.

Personally, I'd rather contend with a drunk behind the wheel - at least the drunk is trying to drive.

jeckrn, BSN, RN · Feb 14, 2012

Yes the school can possibly kick you out, and yes it is possible that your BON may refuse to let you sit for NCLEX. You really may have screwed up your career before it's started. Not to mention you could have killed someone driving while under the influence.
I really, honest to goodness have no sympathy for you. For crying out loud...this close to graduation and you get drunk and drive? You should feel guilty. I hope you look over your shoulder a long time for this.
Even if you do manage to graduate and sit for NCLEX and pass it, you may have a really hard time getting a job, particularly in this market. Who's a manager going to want to hire, you or someone who didn't get arrested for DUI?
Personally, I hope the judge throws the book at you. We do not take DUI seriously in this country, and people are dying because of it.

I do not condone DWI and hope that she does recieve punishment she desirves. But, with your attitude I hope that you never do anything wrong. If you make a drug error or other mistake as a nurse I hope you have the book throw at you. If the patient has serious injuries I hope that you get charged with battery or if the patient dies manslauter. I realize this is extreme but so is your attitude.