I have Misdemeanor Convictions in my past. Board wants more info...

Nurses Criminal

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Hello:

I sent my Authorization To Test form to the New York State Board and just heard back.

I am not proud of it and not happy to announce this for thousands of people to read but I would like to reach out and get helpful feedback from others in my Nursing community.

I have two misdemeanor charges related to alcoholism. I am in recovery now, sober, stable, and would actually like to work in the mental health, chemical dependency areas of health care.

The New York State Board is asking for court documents and a letter concerning the situation. What should I send exactly? Should I go "all out" and send letters from the outpatient center where I received treatment, character witness letters from someone? Or would that be too much or even a turn off to them. Can they deny me? If so, can i reapply?

Should I keep it simple and write a letter on my own along with the documents from the courts?

The first offense was many years ago and the second was almost 3 years ago.

When filling out the application I simply checked Yes when asked if I have ever been found guilty of a misdemeanor. Should I only address the last one or both? Honesty is best but I don't want to lead with the chin either.

Thanks,

SJ

Specializes in Hospice.

Hi nycmoon,

I haven't walked a foot in your shoes, however I worked at a residential treatment facility for a couple of years, and helped the residents with job applications, court-related progress reports. The one thing I can share with you is that rehabilitation is very big with licensing/certification boards, employers, and courts. So in addition to providing as much info as can be supported by documentation, letters from character witnesses, progress reports, and your own statement will also go a long way. The nursing board will request records from the courts, so you don't want to omit anything and have that show up in the report. Be patient and stay optimistic, your approval will be granted.

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