I fully accept the comments I am going to receive. I just wanted to post my story out there because I came to the forums looking for advice- and couldn't really find a story that really fit mine. So I figured, if I post my story, maybe it'll help someone else out. Right?
How I came to receive 24 Class C Misdemeanors (In Texas):
In 2001, when I was 21 years old, I met this guy that I thought I loved. He had just come back from Iraq and he seemed to be my prince charming. Under his advice (and under my young and stupid judgement) I agreed to open a joint checking account for us with myself listed as the primary because he gave me all these different reasons why he couldn't be the primary. Love is Blind, whatever. I was the only one who worked because he was receiving disability from the Army- he was injured while at war- and so he stayed home all day. Anyway, this was back before debit cards were the way to go- so checks were written for EVERYTHING. I wrote checks for gas, rent, utilities, groceries, cash, shopping, etc. Needless to say, I wrote 24 checks before my checks were being declined. After receiving a call from the DA's office I found out that the reason why all my checks bounced was because my prince charming had a 9-yr old daughter in Oklahoma and owed 9 years of back child support. I didn't even know he had a child!! I didn't have the money to pay all the fees and cost for the checks I had written (and any money that was deposited into the account was immediately removed). So.... I went to jail. Twice. actually. because the first time was to cover 22 of the checks and the second time was to cover the last 2 checks since they didn't all get to the DA's office at the same time. I did time for the crime. I pled no contest only because I didn't intentionally mean to bounce all those checks-- but I did write them so no matter what- I am guilty of the crime. I fully accept that.
Application into nursing school (In Oklahoma):It was 2008 and I had moved back to Oklahoma. Application to nursing school was a cinch. I didn't disclose on my application that I had misdemeanors because it asked if I had felonies.... Needless to say, the guilt got to me and I made an appointment with the Dean of Nursing. Her face when I told her exactly how many misdemeanor charges I had was priceless, but nonetheless, she told me the truth. She told me to make my time during Nursing School a collection of good character and that when I graduated I would more than likely need to obtain legal counsel because I would be appearing in front of the BON.
What I did during Nursing School:
I was a representative for the school of nursing when high school seniors and their parents came to visit the campus. I was really involved with my school's SNA. I even served as President for a year and Vice President for a semester (I failed- yes, I failed a nursing clinical- after 1 semester bc I went through a divorce and my dad was dying of End-Stage Liver Disease and often a patient on the floor where I had clinicals.... and I was in no way, shape, or form able to pass my clinical- mentally or emotionally- my dad passed away that Spring so being kicked out of school at that time was a good thing because it allowed me plenty of time to grieve all those sudden losses). I reapplied and was reaccepted into the program to finish my Senior year of a BSN program (yes. I failed fall semester of my Senior year. it was hard). I also was a member of Sigma Theta Tau International- the Nursing Honor's Society. I was also a member of Nurses' Christian Fellowship.
Application for the NCLEX (In Oklahoma):
It took a long time to get all the paperwork that they needed for my misdemeanors in Texas because Texas had disposed of my cases after the 5-yr mark. In fact, the arrests never showed up on my background check for my clinicals at the VA (but I still fully disclosed the information) and it didn't show up on my background check for the job that I have waiting for me (which I fully disclosed the information to as well), that is, if I have a job still waiting for me. I, literally, do not show up on any background check unless you use my SPN number-- which is the number assigned to me when I went to jail-- for whatever reason. I really think it's because someone in Texas made a boo-boo at their job and for whatever reason, my fingerprints don't trigger during the background checks. Anyways, I still fully disclosed all the information to the BON because I know the guilt and fear of being caught one day would kill me and to me the anxiety is never worth it.
So here I am, in 2013, at age 30.... graduated with a BSN.... and no authorization to sit for my NCLEX. I received letters from the BON and today I finally received THE letter. The one that says that the BON will consider my Application for Licensure by Examination to practice as a Registered Nurse. I have NOT even received my authorization to test, but I'm pretty sure this is the trial by fire where they determine whether I can even take the NCLEX or not. I have retained an attorney, who is also an RN, and also has experience going in front of the BON. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't scared out of my wits. I knew this day would come and I still chose to go through a BSN program- I regret nothing. Even if I get denied permission to sit for the NCLEX, I was well aware of the possibility that I wouldn't receive the prize at the end, and still- I have no regrets (except for dating that guy of course).
My interdisciplinary panel hearing is on July 16, 2013. I will do my best to update everyone about what happened, how the process went, etc. because I feel that being honest about my story could at least help one person not stress too much about theirs. I meet with my lawyer tomorrow, other than that, pray for me, because I'm pretty sure I'm going to need all the prayers that I can get. Thank you.
Holy cannoli! Hey we were all (or at least most of us) young and dumb. I hope they can see past your childish mistakes and see the real you, the you of today.
Good Luck to you! WE all make mistakes, it is a hard lesson learned that some of them will follow you for the rest of your life! I hope you get the chance to take your NCLEX.
Wow. You live, you learn. We all make mistakes and yours were honest mistakes, not like you made criminal choices like using drugs or purposefully stealing or something. You got tricked and paid for it big time. I hope they let you test. I wish you luck!
I think your biggest mistake was not dealing with the bad checks at the time. Did you have a public defender? What happened to your boyfriend did he go to jail? Also going to jail for your first offense? Seems very odd. You said that you got nabbed for the second time for 2 checks that didn't clear why didn't you disclose that to the DA the first time, why didn't your lawyer advise you at the time ? And, in 2001 debit card cards have been around along time as well as online banking so your story is not making sense, and obviously the DA thought the same. Why did n't your bank notify you were overdrawn? Why didn't you work this out with your bank? Something is not adding up. But I am not a lawyer, but as a citizen, I would not want a nurse who did jail time twice, no matter how sorry you are now. I do believe you were young and foolish.
I hate to burst your bubble even if you get the right to take the NCLEX you will have to defend yourself every time you apply for a job. Most places will not even interview you, since you are a convicted ? felon . Go through a similar process if you move to another state. I hate to be Debbie Downer but I would have never pleaded no contest when you made an honest mistake. You will have to come up great story, if you get an interview.
I am glad you got a lawyer but even if you get a license you may not be employable at least in a job where you interact with patients.
Heck, if a guy can use coke and drink himself stupid and skip his National Guard duties and then plead "youthful indiscretion" and get elected president, anything can happen.
Good luck to you, dear; I have a special place in my heart for anyone who can write so well. We need you out here.
I think your biggest mistake was not dealing with the bad checks at the time. Did you have a public defender? What happened to your boyfriend did he go to jail? Also going to jail for your first offense? Seems very odd. You said that you got nabbed for the second time for 2 checks that didn't clear why didn't you disclose that to the DA the first time, why didn't your lawyer advise you at the time ? And, in 2001 debit card cards have been around along time as well as online banking so your story is not making sense, and obviously the DA thought the same. Why did n't your bank notify you were overdrawn? Why didn't you work this out with your bank? Something is not adding up. But I am not a lawyer, but as a citizen, I would not want a nurse who did jail time twice, no matter how sorry you are now. I do believe you were young and foolish.
I hate to burst your bubble even if you get the right to take the NCLEX you will have to defend yourself every time you apply for a job. Most places will not even interview you, since you are a convicted ? felon . Go through a similar process if you move to another state. I hate to be Debbie Downer but I would have never pleaded no contest when you made an honest mistake. You will have to come up great story, if you get an interview.
I am glad you got a lawyer but even if you get a license you may not be employable at least in a job where you interact with patients.
I couldn't deal with the checks at the time because the DA said I needed to come up with $12,000 for legal fees, bounced check fees, and fines in a 2 week period-- there was no way I could do that! And so I asked him what my options were and he said "pay" or "do the time". I did go to jail the first time because that was the only way that I could pay the fines! why would I ask for personal recognizance if that didn't take care of the fines- in fact- it would add $500 to the fines I already had. So I chose to do the time because I didn't have the money to pay all that, to be honest. I spent 32 hours in Harris County jail the first time--- we weren't aware that 2 checks lagged behind in the system--- so the second time i went to jail was for 12 hours. In 2001, debit cards (or check cards as they called them) cost additional and I was meticulous with managing my checkbook and I like to have a carbon copy record of the checks I wrote and I didn't do online banking because in 2001 that's when online banking started- i also didn't have internet. When I received the call from the DA and approached my bf-- he dumped me, yeah- I got duped. He moved out and when I went to jail they asked me if I knew where he was bc he had to do time too-- I honestly didn't know where he moved to. Make bank DID notify me by mail, but he threw out all my bank mail bc if you recall, he didn't work-- he stayed home all day. And they weren't felonies-- they were misdemeanors... Class C misdemeanors. And I didn't plead "not guilty" bc that would've been a lie-- I signed those checks- I am guilty of bouncing them although unintentional.
And as mad as you are at me- and would hate to see me as a nurse- I've already been offered a job and my HR department knows the whole story and they jokingly just have asked me to not write personal checks to my patients. I am guilty of writing bad checks-- not being an unsafe nurse.
I am sorry that you would judge the quality of a nurse on past mistakes, but I agree, I would be hesitant of hiring convicted felons too, but my cases are Class C Misdemeanors- the same class as speeding tickets. If you don't pay your speeding ticket, you can go to jail too.... This happens to good nurses too. Everyone makes mistakes....
I thought only felonies had to be reported and/or show up on a background check. Plus, you said Texas had disposed of your records and nothing came up on any check so it shouldn't even be an issue. Good luck!
I think your biggest mistake was not dealing with the bad checks at the time. Did you have a public defender? What happened to your boyfriend did he go to jail? Also going to jail for your first offense? Seems very odd. You said that you got nabbed for the second time for 2 checks that didn't clear why didn't you disclose that to the DA the first time, why didn't your lawyer advise you at the time ? And, in 2001 debit card cards have been around along time as well as online banking so your story is not making sense, and obviously the DA thought the same. Why did n't your bank notify you were overdrawn? Why didn't you work this out with your bank? Something is not adding up. But I am not a lawyer, but as a citizen, I would not want a nurse who did jail time twice, no matter how sorry you are now. I do believe you were young and foolish.
I hate to burst your bubble even if you get the right to take the NCLEX you will have to defend yourself every time you apply for a job. Most places will not even interview you, since you are a convicted ? felon . Go through a similar process if you move to another state. I hate to be Debbie Downer but I would have never pleaded no contest when you made an honest mistake. You will have to come up great story, if you get an interview.
I am glad you got a lawyer but even if you get a license you may not be employable at least in a job where you interact with patients.
In her original post, she stated that she has a job lined up.
I wrote a bad check once, got notified by the DA that they would press charges if i did not pay the check, so i settled it (didnt even know it bounced). I guess 24 checks could be considered intentional. I mean 1 or 2, can be excuseable, but 24? Seems to be a pattern or obtaining goods for worthless check from a DA standpoint. None the less, you are lucky you got hit with MISD and not felonies, cause after 4 bad checks in Florida it's considered a class 3 felony, so you would have gotten slapped 6 felonies in this state. Count your blessings.
Second of all, the fact you still continued wirth the nursing program shows strong determination. The fact you disclosed the info also helps, even if its doesn't show on your record. Writting a bad check is one thing, retail theft or possesion of something else minor is another thing, so be glad your misd isn't something THAT serious. I think they will probably just hammer it in, and question it just to see what kinda charachter you are in person and see what steps you have taken to correct your actions, and see if you have learned from it.
The problem with that ... is that 9/11 didn't happen until September 11, 2001 ... and there were not U.S. combat troops in Iraq until 2003.
Oops. So now I'm bad at math. Good catch! It wasn't 2001 (that's when I graduated high school) it was 2003 bc I was 21 yrs old and met him at a bar on my 21st bday.
I wrote a bad check once, got notified by the DA that they would press charges if i did not pay the check, so i settled it (didnt even know it bounced). I guess 24 checks could be considered intentional. I mean 1 or 2, can be excuseable, but 24? Seems to be a pattern or obtaining goods for worthless check from a DA standpoint. None the less, you are lucky you got hit with MISD and not felonies, cause after 4 bad checks in Florida it's considered a class 3 felony, so you would have gotten slapped 6 felonies in this state. Count your blessings.
Second of all, the fact you still continued wirth the nursing program shows strong determination. The fact you disclosed the info also helps, even if its doesn't show on your record. Writting a bad check is one thing, retail theft or possesion of something else minor is another thing, so be glad your misd isn't something THAT serious. I think they will probably just hammer it in, and question it just to see what kinda charachter you are in person and see what steps you have taken to correct your actions, and see if you have learned from it.
Good luck to you.
Oh, I am definitely counting my blessing because each check was written for amounts
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stewartfamily2010
159 Posts
Holy cannoli! Hey we were all (or at least most of us) young and dumb. I hope they can see past your childish mistakes and see the real you, the you of today.