Licensure by Endorsement

[gabrield23]

Hello, let me start by saying that I took my NCLEX last week and passed on my first tried. I am very happy and proud of myself and all my hard work. Just finished school on February 2016, and I've been a surgical tech for almost 4 years.

I moved to Washington DC a week after I finish school and took the NCLEX in here (DC) but the one from Florida. Now Im an RN in Florida and I'm filling out the paperwork for the endorsement but there is a question I don't know how to answer. It says " Have you ever been convicted or arrested for a crime or misdemeanor (other than a minor traffic violation)?"

Here is my situation: One day when I was 21 y/o, (I'm 26 now), I was detained by the police bc of "trespassing after warning (misdemeanor)" along with a bunch of people, basically I was in the wrong place at the wrong moment. I had to go to court after and I plead NOT GUILTY and won and the judge gave me a DISSMISSED on my case.

So I know for sure I was not convicted but I'm debating on were I was or was not arrested? I don't want to give the wrong information and at the same time don't want to delayed the process for a mistake of a police officer made 5 years ago.

I know DC does an FBI criminal back ground check and nothing shows up there but do they also do a state local level check? Would it show up even if I was dismissed not guilty??? Thank you all!

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

Welcome to allnurses.com

Thread moved to a forum for replies from those with similar issues.

[KCMnurse, BSN, MSN, RN]

Since it specifically asks if you have been arrested you have to answer 'yes'. You were arrested -now you will need to have all the necessary paperwork to explain the outcome. Seems like this is the most honest way to answer, but you could always call the BON and ask them for clarity. Better to err on the side of caution or get caught up in some mess by not being truthful on your application.