Background checks

subec · Jan 15, 2003

We had to provide a criminal background check, at our own expense (around $4), before our first semester of clinicals. We have also been told that we may need to do more background checks as required by the different places we will be doing our clinicals.

I don't have a problem doing this, and personally, I think that all schools should require a background check before their students have contact with patients. Just my opinion.

moonrose2u · Jan 15, 2003

not only nursing and teaching require background checks..i am studying for my real estate license (another part time job besides nursing) and they require all applicants for state exam to have their fingerprints sent to fbi and a background check also...

essarge · Jan 15, 2003

Our background check cost was $30!! I think that, if required, it should be included in the tuition. We pay enough as it is!

colleen10 · Jan 15, 2003

I believe my school has you fill out the "Background Check" form before clinicals start. It comes along with the rest of the mountains of paper work you have to fill out before you start clinicals like your vacination record, titer, TB, etc. It's an ADN program.

Can't believe they would wait til the last semester though. Despite the fact that a student may or may not be able to sit for boards I just don't think it's right to let the students do clinicals without it. Like the other posters said. What if it was a person convicted of a serious crime like rape, molestation, etc.

Judging by posts from the more experienced RN's regarding the Board of Nursing, it sounds like the board judges each incident case by case. However, if your background check came back with a red flag, who would make the decision to allow the student to continue through the program? Would they send it to the State Board or decide on their own.

Also, I'm pretty sure that when I sent in my Nursing school application I had to check whether or not I had ever been convicted of a felony. So right there, a school could weed some people and not even let them in.

Lausana · Jan 15, 2003

Originally posted by colleen10
Can't believe they would wait til the last semester though. Despite the fact that a student may or may not be able to sit for boards I just don't think it's right to let the students do clinicals without it. Like the other posters said. What if it was a person convicted of a serious crime like rape, molestation, etc.

I believe it's Justin's Law or some boy's name starting with J, that prohibits people with sexual convictions--so to me the criminal check should come first.

Jennerizer, ASN, RN · Jan 16, 2003

I'm in nursing school in Florida & we do not need to submit any background check form. They gave us the # to call if we wanted to be sure there were no felonies in our past......because you cannot sit for state boards (Nclex) if you have a felony on your record.

We were told that if you do have a felony, to talk to the dean & depending on the circumstances, she could write a letter to the state boards because sometimes they will make exceptions depending on the type of felony committed. She stated "do not wait until graduation to make us aware of it, because by then you will have wasted 2 years of school going for a license you cannot ever take the test for."

It would make sense to me to require a background check for what Leslie posted above-----sexual offenders or even thieves should not be nurses nor should they be allowed near any patients.

caliotter3 · Jan 16, 2003

I agree w/everyone who states how sorry a practice to wait until the end. As far as I am concerned, if the BI is a requirement for you to go into a clinical area, fine, do it beforehand. If the school wants to make it their own requirement, fine, do it beforehand. We already knew that we have to do it as part of the licensing process, but as someone said, where do you get a chance to explain, rebut, question, plead, or show your efforts at rehabing yourself? Another way to take the student's money. Pure and simple. Just like making you repeat certain classes every 5 or 7 yrs. Anyway possible to separate the student from as much money as possible.

jschut, BSN, RN · Jan 16, 2003

I don't remember doing a background check in school, but I know I had to tell every aspect of everything I had done BEFORE nursing school that involved the legal system (and I was pretty wild a few years back!). It took a little longer than usual, but I was able to test within 3 months of graduation.

A girl I went to school with tried to not tell the state board a few things about herself, and it took her about 6 months to test!

So, personally, I'd rather HAVE the check done and have time to resolve these issues, rather than waiting till afterward....

MomNRN, BSN, RN · Jan 16, 2003

My nursing class was the first to be required to pay a $55 fee to be fingerprinted before a license would be granted. You had to be fingerprinted at the State Police Department. No checks - cash only!

Marlo2bRN · Jan 17, 2003

We found out this week we have to have a criminal background checks done. Unfortunately a friend of mine has a misdemeanor from 10yrs ago and our instructor freaked her out by telling her she might not be able to sit for the boards. She called the Board of Nursing here and got the answers she needed. Just to be safe, I'd check.

Marlo:roll

essarge · Jan 20, 2003

To test for our boards, there is still another background check that has to be taken. They are looking for felonies and anything that has to do with drugs or abuse. That one I do understand but I still think that the schools should number one get the background check over with prior to starting school and two include it in the tuition.

tonicareer · Jan 21, 2003

Indiana is very strict about background checks. Some people are trying to change the laws in this state. Any drug charges you are autiomatically not able to work here. I think the school should just make a copy of your background check and send it to each clinical site. You shouldn't have to pay for more than one.