I want to be a practical nurse but I have a arrest?

Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN · May 25, 2016

An arrest certainly can affect your chances of becoming a nurse, but there are endless variables. You might find this section of the site interesting.

https://allnurses.com/nursing-licensure-criminal/

Good luck!

bossman · May 25, 2016

An arrest for underage drinking probably won't affect you. An arrest for 1st degree murder really is a deal breaker. Does that help? Probably not. No one can really weigh in unless you let us know what you were arrested for.

Joanie49 · May 26, 2016

I have just applied to my BON and I have an arrest three years ago for disorderly conduct. I had to write a letter to the BON and explain what happened with all the paperwork from the police. I have not gotten my ATT yet but my Chair nursing professor looked over my application (I assume) when I gave it to her and also a background check was preformed before I was accepted into the nursing program and I entered. I also called the BON and talked to them and the lady did not seem to think I would have an issue and told me how to proceed. I am praying everything is OKAY and I get my ATT soon. I feel as though it was not a violent arrest or something of that nature you should be okay. I would talk to the Director of the nursing program you want to attend about this and see what their experience has been with this situation.

Editorial Team / Moderator · May 26, 2016

I moved your post to the Licensure with Criminal History forum to ensure maximum responses.

Estrella20 · May 26, 2016

I'll try to explain what happened two weeks ago, I went to a store with my niece, se os 17 years old. in the store when it was my turn to pay she said I'm going to go to the bathroom if you have already paid and I'm not here wait for me in the car and I said ok. when I'm taking things out of the shopping car to leave in the store I saw that she has left her purse and I grabbed it and I'll leave when I leave the alarm sounds and a girl tells me that will show the receipt and I show but the security man comes and tells me he wants to see what is in the purse I tried to say that I could not show because it was not mine but the man thought I did not want to show. well then they take me to a room and told me to open the purse and I naively opened it. I did not know what to do were things I didn't know if was her staff or from the store. I was very scared try to explain but they did not believe. and after 30 minutes the police comes they took me I took pictures, fingerprints and have now a case for shoplifting 4th degree because the merchandise was 358. I tried to talk to my lawyer to see if it was better that I tell the truth in court and he told me we could do it but the arrest still going to be on my record. then I better leave it at that because after all it's my niece. now Sombady understand how I feelðŸ˜ðŸ˜¡ðŸ˜•ðŸ˜”

dishes, BSN, RN · May 27, 2016

Sounds like your niece is an experienced shoplifter, was she charged?

Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN · May 29, 2016

There's a very good chance that you would have a lot of trouble becoming a nurse at this point. Two weeks ago is very recent and no one will be eager to wave you through to work with patients (who are considered a vulnerable population). If you're young now and manage to stay out of trouble for a long time, you might have a shot at nursing in the future.

Good luck to you.

Queen Kong · Jun 2, 2016

I'm pretty sure if you work with the store to help them arrest the correct person (your niece), you may have a chance to get the charges overturned. I would recommend getting a good lawyer and working with the store/police to see what you can do so this does not affect your future.