This website has allowed me to post freely about questions concerning my personal journey to nursing school. Before I ever became a nursing student, I was a human being. While I have realized that while using this site is beneficial in the sense of communication, I have also experienced that it opens the door for scrutiny of your personal life. It was a true eye opener for me, because I find myself guilty of judging other people as well. I accept that sometimes we are right in our judgment, but sometimes we are also wrong. I reached out to several people about my attempt to go to nursing school with a misdemeanor assault from over seven years ago that resulted after an argument where I waved my finger in someone's face. Yes, it happened.. YES I admitted my guilt because I DID wave my finger very closely to his face, and I also realize now that it was wrong. Instead of response to my question.. I was given advice on what I should have done seven years ago. Well unfortunately, there is no time machine that would allow such a thing, so I do not understand how that would help. Anyway, I spoke with a very kind director that went the extra mile to find that I would be clear for my minimal misdemeanor , and also received a callback from the BON who also said I would be fine in my circumstance. I face much adversity being I am an over 6ft tall male that has ASSAULT (even though its simple assault) everyone sees ASSAULT on my record and often insinuate that I must have pummeled someone. My point of this is everyone knows what it feels like to be judged.. especially off of your past, but simple assault does not define me.. it defines my criminal history. My history also includes military service and a college education. I am not an animal. Can anyone relate?
I think people use the internet as a catharsis for issues they are dealing with, within themselves. For one reason or another, the anonymity associated with the internet allows people to spew ugly. Just remember it is a reflection of them, their character, and their insecurities... not you.
Kudos to you for continuing to follow your dreams, regardless of what people say or what criticism they dish out.
If it makes you feel any better, there were two nursing students in our graduating class that had criminal records. One had a DUI from seven years prior, and another had been charged with disrupting the peace as a teenager. Actually, I'm sure there were probably more - those were just the ones brave enough to admit it. Both of them passed their NCLEX-RN, got their RN licenses and got jobs in the New Grad program at the same hospital that I did.
I'm sure the director of your program has already covered this, but I'll mention it just in case. One thing that was emphasized when we started the application process was to be one-hundred percent honest with the BON. The way they phrased it was: if you had made prior mistakes, they may be able to look past those (depending on the nature of the crime) but if you were dishonest in the beginning and they figured it out later (through background checks) then you would definitely not be okay. There was one student that went through the program a couple of years ago. He had a prior DUI but didn't disclose it on the application to the BON. He ended up having to wait a year before he could put in another application. And he lost the RN job that he had been conditionally offered.
As for everyone else on here says...take what's useful, and let the rest slide off your back. You'll meet a lot of people in nursing who have different opinions about everything from how you should care for your patients to hospital policies. Some of it will be truthful and helpful, and some of it won't. I once had an RN (who happened to be my preceptor) tell me that because I couldn't turn a total care patient all by myself, I didn't have what it took to be a nurse, that I should just quit and find myself another profession. Nevermind that I have a physical disability involving my back. I did end up quitting that job, but I have not quit the profession because I knew from the moment I took my first nursing course that this was what I was meant to do. Develop a critical eye now rather than later. It can only help you when you become a new grad RN.
Kudos to you for continuing to follow your dreams, regardless of what people say or what criticism they dish out.
If it makes you feel any better, there were two nursing students in our graduating class that had criminal records. One had a DUI from seven years prior, and another had been charged with disrupting the peace as a teenager. Actually, I'm sure there were probably more - those were just the ones brave enough to admit it. Both of them passed their NCLEX-RN, got their RN licenses and got jobs in the New Grad program at the same hospital that I did.
I'm sure the director of your program has already covered this, but I'll mention it just in case. One thing that was emphasized when we started the application process was to be one-hundred percent honest with the BON. The way they phrased it was: if you had made prior mistakes, they may be able to look past those (depending on the nature of the crime) but if you were dishonest in the beginning and they figured it out later (through background checks) then you would definitely not be okay. There was one student that went through the program a couple of years ago. He had a prior DUI but didn't disclose it on the application to the BON. He ended up having to wait a year before he could put in another application. And he lost the RN job that he had been conditionally offered.
As for everyone else on here says...take what's useful, and let the rest slide off your back. You'll meet a lot of people in nursing who have different opinions about everything from how you should care for your patients to hospital policies. Some of it will be truthful and helpful, and some of it won't. I once had an RN (who happened to be my preceptor) tell me that because I couldn't turn a total care patient all by myself, I didn't have what it took to be a nurse, that I should just quit and find myself another profession. Nevermind that I have a physical disability involving my back. I did end up quitting that job, but I have not quit the profession because I knew from the moment I took my first nursing course that this was what I was meant to do. Develop a critical eye now rather than later. It can only help you when you become a new grad RN.
Thank you so much for the warm words. I can tell that you are an asset to the medical field. I will cherish the advice you gave.
Ha ha, yeah, you will find all the *judgement* you want in the nursing field and beyond, because the rest of us are such angels.. Listen, none of us are perfect, everybody's got something, believe that! Some of us just have bigger closets than others. I worked with someone, who was seemingly perfect, never did anything wrong in her teen years and looks at everyone else in some kind of disgusted shock, LOL (she was a therapist) and never had any wild stories to tell of her younger years in our snickering little group of co-workers. One day, I saw her get angry about something, weird stuff here, because I actually saw her change physically to this very dark person (eeeek!). Now, I know that sounds crazy, but like I said, everybody's got something. Sounds like you have already dealt with your past, so move on brother, and don't worry about what others think. You may want to be careful about disclosing your personal history, because when you do you will be a sitting duck for all the righteous and religious perfect people. You don't need that kind of aggravation in your life, especially after all the hard work of nursing school! Just be the best damn nurse you can be!
, and also received a callback from the BON who also said I would be fine in my circumstance. I face much adversity being I am an over 6ft tall male that has ASSAULT (even though its simple assault) everyone sees ASSAULT on my record and often insinuate that I must have pummeled someone. My point of this is everyone knows what it feels like to be judged.. especially off of your past, but simple assault does not define me.. it defines my criminal history. My history also includes military service and a college education. I am not an animal. Can anyone relate?
xdrowe
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Thanks this was awesome, I love it.