Nursing Student makes a very stupid decision and recieved a DUI...advice...?

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I am a nursing student in California, I am in my first semester of the program. I've read some threads on the matter which I am about to discuss but have not found an answer speicific to my problem. I recently made the worst decision of my life and drove home after having some drinks and recieved a DUI, this is my first DUI (or problem with the law ever) and it had no aggrevating charges. I hired a lawyer to help me through the legal process, but I am almost sure It will remain a DUI or at best a "wet reckless" I am adamant about taking the Alcohol classes and anything else required of me and refraining from ever putting myself in this situation again. My question is how and when should I tell my program, my greatest fear is being thrown out of the program and losing my chance to pursure this career choice which I've worked towards the past 1 1/2 years. I've reflected on this utterly stupid choice I made which was totally out of character for me and know I will have to tell my instructors. If I do remain in the program I know I will have to disclose this to the California Board of Nursing and will need personal reference letters from relevant people (i.e instructors, faculty) so trying to skate under the radar and finish quietly is not an option. Please any advice from people with experience knowledge on the matter would be greatly appreciated.

Hey Stu. Nurse,

I am in a similar predicament, I got a DUI in 2010, and was about to submit my application to the BRN... Did you access all your court/arrest documents, along with your reference letters and personal statement at once? Did you have any trouble getting access to these documents? I am running into walls trying to find someone to call me back from records...

Any info would be helpful, I really have no idea how to proceed.

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Hi Lotus,

I am new here and found this thread while looking for info regarding grad students who were arrested for dui before taking nclex. Can you share us updates of you status? Did you get your RN license and are you now working as a nurse?

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Hello honeylet80 and all others,

Sorry for the lag in responses. I haven't kept up with this thread in ages. I am currently a practicing RN on a telemetry unit. I made it! It took some time, 6 months, getting a chance from the BRN, but once they let me through I took/passed my NCLEX. Then took another 6 months to land an unpaid internship with a hospital on their Tele unit. I worked through that for a few months and landed my intended position! Here I am almost a year and a half later in my career and am now looking at schools to further my education, but now I'm looking at Nursing/Health Informatics as I took part in the implementation of CPOE at my hospital as a super user and thoroughly loved it! Too sum it all up, it does get better if your truly sorry for your mistakes and work your butt off to make it right! My worries over time have gone from not being sure if i would ever be a licensed nurse, to now worrying about what upper degree program would be ideal for my future career goals as I continue to work full time, lol! Be sincere, work hard at fixing and learning from your mistakes and it does work itself out! Good luck to honeylet80, I hope you and everyone else is doing well.

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I really appreciate your response and follow through. I am just curios if this has affected your job hunt? Any additional information would b greatly appreciated.

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Lotus1, thank you so much for sharing your experience; and for all your information... I am going through something similar, as I am wrapping up the end of my schooling, and about a month ago got a dui. Now it is time to apply to take my NCLEX, and I am so worried about how to approach the Board before they get my application (being sent in with the rest of my classmates) so that they might consider letting me sit for the test still!! If you are still on here and have any more advice on how you contacted them, and what I need to do to go about doing that, any help or info would be greatly appreciated. I have wanted to be a nurse my whole life; there is nothing else I want more. And now I may have lost that chance to live my dream because of handling stress and chaos of nursing school and home-life with the wrong answer. I now have (obviously) learned--thank the lord I hurt nobody, and it is amazing that I am still even alive. I know I was spared for a reason; I realize I am being given a second chance. Please, if anyone has advice--Please help me along this rocky road to pursue what I feel is a definite meant-to-be second chance at life. I will never go back to the way I used to handle stress. Thanks for listening.

-scared & alone

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Hi lotus1. I am in the same situation in CO. My school said that my placement is in jeopardy. They reached out to placement agencies and so far all are saying they can't place me. This is my first clinical is in Nov which will be a year after the incident. So I am worried, but know several folks got through with DUI's on their record, but more time. Any guidance on what to expect when I actually have to be placed? Thanks

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Can you speak to the clinical placement aspect of the DUI? I am in my second semester and got a DUI. I did what I felt was right and told my nursing program. I had a meeting with my nursing program and they are telling me that I most likely won't get placement opportunities. I know I can't be the only one that has gone through this so was looking for any practical information on peoples experience on getting through the clinical portion. Thanks

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