Nurse Aide background checks

[KarynicaRN]

there seems to be quite a different opinion as to what reason a criminal background check is used in the nurse assistant program in illinois.

i have read the information about the background check from cover to cover. there is nothing that states a background check must be performed before a student goes to clinicals. it does state that the background check must accompany the request to take the state of illinois nurse assistant test.

does anyone know? i have read so much on this topic i am lost.

[elkpark]

I've never taught or worked in IL, so I can't speak specifically to any situation in IL, but I have taught nursing in other places and it is now pretty typical/customary that clinical facilities require nursing schools to conduct background checks on all the nursing students before the hospitals/nursing homes will allow the students to come to clinicals, so it may be the same reason in CNA programs. It may be that it's a requirement by the clinical facilities, not the state BON.

[KarynicaRN]

hi and thanks for answering. i decided to call the illinois department of public health nursing assistant program and found the information.

it's not against the law, yet, but a nurse aide doesn't need a background check done before clinicals unless specifically stated by the clinical site. the background check is done for the illinois nurse aide registry, and must be completed before sitting for the cna exam.

[caliotter3]

For the benefit of those reading your thread, thanks for getting back with the answer.

[sosiouxme]

It's not the state Board of Registered Nursing, or even all of the clinical sites but, here in California, almost all of the community colleges are requiring "clear" background checks before clinical placement so they won't have to wheel-and-deal with a site to get someone placed who might have even a slight infraction on their record.

[sosiouxme]

I got admitted despite a DUI from less than 3 years ago. Check with the state where you want to go to school: California only lets background checks go back 7 years, but the school still let me in because my "clearance" was up 3 years before the semester actually started. They told us in the information session that the primary offenses they frown upon are fraud and abuse. They also told me that, if the DUI was less than a couple of months ago, it "might" matter. I did my own background check (from a different site than the school required) to see exactly what showed up, and told the school what I had BEFORE I turned in the official background check that they required (I was afraid that an old DUI from 10 years ago would show up).

Most schools don't worry about DUI's; I didn't even have to get formal court papers to show them. The school just "reminds" students that the "State Board" might not let you take the NCLEX but, again, they mainly worry about recent felony-type stuff.

[TBANKS71]

I go to the CNA program at Triton College and we paid a $15 background check fee when we went to the information session, but we just barely filled out the background check form a couple weeks ago. We are already in clinicals so I am not sure how this works, but it will be something I will ask my instructor in class.