Nursing and Direct Action

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So I'm a nurse and an activist. Before getting licensed I've engaged in illegal protests, actions, and demonstrations. I've been arrested for misdemeanor trespassing and several other incidents involving non violent civil disobedience. I am still very much involved in my activist communities but as someone with a lot of privilege I would like to engage in actions where I am potentially or definitely going to be arrested. Mind you all of the actions I engage in and intend to be arrested are all small misdemeanor charges. My record outside of activism is otherwise clean. I'm not interested in debating the ethics of political tactics or my choice to engage in illegal non violent forms of protest. I am interested in hearing from other nurses who are also very active and how this might impact my license. I will absolutely put my comfort and safety on the line to stand for what I feel is right, but I have more apprehension about putting my license on the line. Does the board typically care about politically motivated crimes? Any other activists out there I'd love to hear from you, especially experiences with the BON for political engagement.

Specializes in Peds ED.
9 minutes ago, amoLucia said:

For sake of conversation, I'm going to pretend that I'm a BON member. And this applicant's situation has come to my attn.

Now I think ... this OP is doing some activity and it's legally wrong. And she knowingly, willingly, and deliberately still undertakes that action. Now it's not really a terrible infraction, but it is still ILLEGAL and she KNOWS it and still DOES IT!  And knowing that a likely end result will be an arrest!?!?!?!

I'm still thinking ...  she has a blatant disregard for the law and authorities. And thinks it's OK to disobey. Is this the best profile of a responsible professional who is in a career position of importance for the safety & welfare of others? What other situations will she take upon herself to disregard and/or violate. Does she roll around right-hand corners without coming to a good stop? Does she allow her dog to poop on the neighbor's lawn? Small potatoes! Then what if she disagrees with a med order?  Hmmm? And at a party, she knows she should have stopped at 2 drinks but now has finished 3+ and has to drive home by herself.

Anything else that she believes to be contrary, yet she'll do? Like so what if she feels this is her right to speak her political voice for a BIG illegality or a SMALL illegality???

Sorry! I think this is a slippery slope for a BON member to have to split hairs over. We all know, their job is to protect the public. For what they believe to be safety from questionable licensees. And they do that VIGOROUSLY!

I'm being hypothetical, but what would be the concern here for BON members to allow OP's career continuance as an admitted lawbreaker? I realize there has been no reference to any nsg misdeeds. Nor any intent to do so. But the seeds of suspicion are planted. OP is a supporter of civil disobedience, and to her, it's OK to break the law.

NB: This is an older post and OP hasn't been around since posting.

 

 

I want to point out that our ethical obligations and legality can at times be in conflict. People who hid Jews from Nazis were breaking the law, underground railroad conductors were breaking the law, Freedom Riders on integrated buses driving through segregated states were breaking the law, people leaving out water in the desert for people trying to flee in to the US from Mexico are breaking the law, and the boats in the mediterranean trying to rescue refugees attempting that crossing are breaking the law.

Currently there’s a commonly used tactic against protests where the protesters get penned in to an area they cannot leave intentionally by police, then police announce that everyone who does not disburse will be arrested, and since no one can leave, they all get arrested. So attending a protest, at all, has the potential to be an arrestable action due to “kettling.” And sentencing against protesters has been rife with politically motivated up-charging recently.

Laws can be unjust and harmful and direct action and mass opposition have always been a huge factor in change. 

I don’t disagree that the BON might see things as you describe here, but I think we need to be clear that our ethical obligations can be in conflict with our legal ones and that refusal to participate in unjust laws is potentially the moral path.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Hiddencat -TY for your comeback. Only thing is, OP never disclosed what her protests were all about. Then of course, that would have influenced our pro or con decision.

On ‎1‎/‎22‎/‎2020 at 6:22 PM, guest1054874 said:

..... but as someone with a lot of privilege I would like to engage in actions where I am potentially or definitely going to be arrested. 

Her direct quote leads me to believe she is just taunting the system, like just 'daring' to be arrested. Which OP's likely wants to happen. Flaunting it all.

That disturbs me!

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Specializes in Peds ED.
7 minutes ago, amoLucia said:

Hiddencat -TY for your comeback. Only thing is, OP never disclosed what her protests were all about. Then of course, that would have influenced our pro or con decision.

Her direct quote leads me to believe she is just taunting the system, like just 'daring' to be arrested. Which OP's likely wants to happen. Flaunting it all.

That disturbs me!

So, I think you maybe don’t have much experience with nonviolent civil disobedience. When people engage in those actions there is a lot of preparation around the possibility or probability of getting arrested, how to handle police and spectator interactions, how to stay calm and safe and diffuse tense confrontations. There is a purposefulness and seriousness about it and yes privilege due to the systemic racism within our justice system, that you are seeing as taunting. The things I think about are activists living in old growth trees to prevent deforestation of ancient forests, water protectors blocking indigenous land from oil pipelines being placed, destruction of draft registries during the Vietnam War. The people doing those things and who have done those things are/were all aware that arrest and a subsequent legal battle is a very likely possibility. And there is a strategy and rationale behind the action. Winning over people who are prone to find such activism distasteful are usually not part of the motivation for engaging in this way but that doesn’t make it a flip, whimsical, or lightly made choice.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Hiddencat - you're right; I am 'white bread' thru & thru. My approach to protest would follow a much more sedate & roundabout route. OP's choice, is not exactly terribly distasteful to me.  In fact, I respect those who speak out for their convictions, but I still have my concerns. 

The question raised by OP was to ask how the BON might react regarding a reissuance of a license in view of OP's activities. THAT has OP concerned about how her activism may NOT be regarded well by others.

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