Misdemeanor battery from when I was 18?

[Ruby Borroto]

Hi everyone, I'm hoping to hear from anyone who's been through something similar—especially with nursing school, clinicals, or licensing.

12 years ago, when I was 18, I got into an argument with my mom. It was escalating very quickly, and I called the police because I didn't want it to get worse. I didn't realize the police had already arrived when I lightly pushed her out of the doorway as she was trying to come into the room I was in. No one was injured, and there were no weapons involved—but I was arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery in California.

I didn't serve any jail time. I completed an informal probation, went to AA (I was underage drinking, which started the argument with my mom), and the case was closed. I've had no issues since.

Now I'm living in Florida and got accepted to nursing school. But when the school ran my background check, to my horror the charge still showed up. AHCA recently sent me a letter asking for documents. I've gathered certified court records, an arrest summary, and I'm working on my expungement and personal statement now. I've tried contacting the Florida Board of Nursing, but I haven't been able to reach anyone. I wasn't able to get all the documentation to my school in time to start the semester so I resigned for now. (A lot of work to get such an old case from across the country)

My biggest fear is getting accepted into a program but being blocked from clinicals or licensure and also finding employment after even when the expungement is complete.

If anyone here has been through this—gotten AHCA clearance, completed clinicals, or been licensed with a misdemeanor battery—I'd really appreciate hearing your experience. Also curious how this impacted job offers later on.

Thanks so much for reading.

 

[Myruby, MSN, NP]

I do not know about clinicals and jobs in your case but I will tell you about mine.  When I was 19 I was stopped for hitchhiking and they found 2 pills.  Now, it sounds like a story, but it really wasn't my backpack and I was hitchhiking alone. I don't know what they were,but my Mom came and bailed me out.  Charged with disturbing the peace, and possesion of dangerous drugs, the later dismissed. Later that year, I went to a party with people I met just that day. I didn't know that their parents had checked out of the hotel. Police heard the noise and opened the door and I was charged with trespassing and giving an alias. (Because of previous incident, I made up a name because I thought my Mom would kill me.  I was so clever!)  I went to school, clinicals and went on to practice for 52 years, the last 31 as an NP. It never stopped me from getting a license in a different state or cost me a job. The people hiring me just had blank faces when I explained. Kind of like your dog when he's doing his business-blank.  They were probably thinking "what an idiot, or I did worse than that.."  who knows.  I did have to get the records twice, but still got the job.  I don't think the school would admit you if you couldn't go to clinicals. Just my opinion.