Will clinics most likely deny me work because of 2 misdemeanors?

[Riley21]

So first off I got a ticket for drug paraphernalia(weed residue) NOT DRUG POSSESSION on Feb. 15 this year and got a YEAR of plea of abeyance in my pre-trial appearance on April 19th. So I was thinking of requesting it to be expunged april 19th, 2012. i know the attorney has to send a petition to a court and then they decide to expunge it or not.

I was wondering if the dept. of Nursing or Clinics that I might have to work at during the nursing program at my community college (In Utah), can they see if that misdemeanor B has been expunged or not? I heard that after expungement it doesnt even show on criminal background checks. but i've also heard that Clinics do like FBI checks where they can see EVERYTHING. so is it worth paying $690 to petition to get it expunged or should i leave it. it'll say Dismissed cuz right now its status is Pending until April 19th 2012.

I know it was dumb of me to have something like drug paraphernalia in my car. but i definately had stopped associating with anything to do w/ drugs or ppl who use them. Please dont give me answers like you shouldnt have done it in the 1st place. I just want to move on with my life. I feel so depressed cause I really want to be a Nurse. and my parents don't know that I have the ticket for paraphernalia. I also have a petty theft ticket for stealing 1 bottle of Febreze airfreshner(misdemeanor) back in dec. 2008 right when i turned 18. so i think that makes it even worse even though im about to turn 21 this august. i havent gotten any other ticket since then except this dismissed-misdemeanor B for drug paraphernalia. so 1st ticket=petty theft misdemeanor for febreze, 2nd=dismissed-misdemeanor B for drug paraphernalia. nothin else on my record.

So right now i have my 2 years college completed(including the prerequistes for the nursing program @my community college) I am in CNA classes to get some experience in the field. The program is 2 weeks long. 1st week is classroom stuff, 2nd week is working at clinics. but its kinda confusing cuz i have that paraphernalia charge but the CNA directors said that I will be able to take the class as long as I'm over 16, have no felonies and pay $400. the waiting list for my college's Nursing program is about 2-2 1/2 years(i'll be like 23 or 24 by then). then i'd be doing the program which involves me workin at clinics and I'm not sure if they will accept me. if they dont then i think its over

My Biggest question is i dont want to continue pursuing a Registered Nursing degree if I can't even work at clinics. i'd be wasting so much time and money which i dont have. I have also talked to the HR ppl at some hospitals and they said ppl have had worse charges(like felonies or child/adult abuse) and have still been able to work there. But thats not everyones case.... sorry for my life story. And forgot to add that I live in Utah, salt lake area. Possibly will move to CA and go through Cabrillo college in Aptos, Santa Cruz County if California is more lenient and in need of RN

s than Utah.

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

Honestly, how many times are you going to post the exact same issue?

You have posted this repeatedly. And we have answered to the best of our ability. You must contact the BON/employers to get an accurate answer to the question, as only they can answer with any accuracy.

I repeat, given the time period and nature of one of the charges, I suspect that this will affect employment, if not licensure.

And that even with expungement, there are still ways that employers find out about these issues.

I regret that you are not happy with the answers or lack of. But we can only give you what we know.

[Riley21]

i didnt mean to put it in the wrong thread last time. So I decided to post it in "Nursing Licensure W/ a criminal history" just because there are probably more people that may have experienced somewhat the same situation. Last time this was in the "Nursing Career advise" and the people looking at that thread probably have their RN job already and don't have any kind of record thus moved this post to this thread. You don't have to reply if you have already read my post or even have to complain about it. I'm just trying to research throroughly so I don't have to waste time and effort to get something that won't even be a use to me when looking for employment.

So if anyone has been through a similar experience or knows anyone that has been hired w/ a dismissed misdemeanor B-drug PARAPHERNALIA and petty theft misdemeanor?

[Tiger747]

Riley21, nursing simply is not the profession to be in with any sort of criminal record unless it is one count of Jay Walking. Seriously.

You will fight this with the B.O.N., albeit you will probably prevail there and get a license, or more likely, a "probationary" license, in which case you might as well just walk around with a big scarlet letter on your shirt for "criminal".

It really is not the nature of the charge(drugs, petty theft, battery, D.U.I.) that matters; but, rather, the fact you have a charge against you at all.

If you read these posts, you'll see that less than 10% report any kind of success in finding employment-- many are fighting the B.O.N. just to get their licenses, which presages what you will have to do to get a job. Uphill all the way. Do yourself a giant favor and forget it.

If you really do not need to work and just want to be a nurse for the passion for it, then, perhaps, you should try.

[Riley21]

i just found out that i will be able to work at Intermountain Health Center because the Human Resources do a criminal background on CONVICTIONS which i dont have except the petty theft from 3 yrs ago when I was 18. by the time I get into the Nursing program it'll be in 2-2.5 yrs from now. and then another 2 yrs until i finish the Nursing program. so by the time I get done with the nursing program 3 yrs+2yrs+ 2yrs= 7yrs and I'll be looking for a job at an IHC and explain in an interview that I was really dumb at the time and it was my 1st crime in my whole entire life for stealing ONE bottle of Febreze airfreshner that cost me $300. my drug paraphernalia will be dismissed in April 2012. the nursing program maybe August or december of 2013. Dismissal means not convicted. but it will be on arrest record.

Dismissal doesnt necessarily mean ur guilty from what i've read on the web definitions. sometimes ppl are charged w/ something and then get it dismissed because they were wrongly accused. but yea mine is a plea of abeyance. I think i'm in the clear. anyone see a flaw though? just need some thoughts

[Karl Farmer]

Your charge will not be dismissed, you are confused. It can maybe be set aside, or worded otherwise, but will never ever go away. Never, not as far as any board of nursing. And if you have a drug charge, you are maybe not eligible for financial aid- if you can afford nursing school without that, then I'd also suggest you forget about nursing. It's not what you fancy it to be, anyways, really.

[love2244]

Hey!!! How is Nursing School? I really hope you stayed in the program. I you lov something don't let anyone tel you otherwise. Get the felony expunged and deal with the misdominor you'll be fine just have faith!!