Nursing and Traffic Violations?!? SERIOUSLY

Nurses General Nursing

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Ok here's the deal. I've applied to several locations and of course each place does a drug screen and a criminal background check -- nothing new.

So, the criminal background check comes up with a traffic violation (a traffic violation that doesn't even affect car insurance mind you) and the people from HR want me to fill out a report!!! are you serious???

The report they sent me specifically asks for information on dependent or child abuse. Is there something I'm missing here?? What does one thing have to do with the other? I would understand if I was applying to be the ambulance driver but nursing???

In New York State, the only thing they would ask is DWI and this is a "serious" violation!

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Unless you fill out the report form ... the employer may not know whether or not the legal violation is related to the job or not. They probably ask everybody for a report because SOME violations relate to some of the jobs they hire for. They give everyone the same screening to avoid being accused of having discriminatory hiring practice.

I work for a children's hospital that wants the details of anything that comes up on a criminal background check so that they can screen out anyone with a record that might endanger a child in their care. So ... if you were speeding in a school zone ... or speeding with your children in the car ... etc. then that might prevent you from working in my hospital. They also screen out anyone with a history of violence.

Employers also have a legitimate interest into whether or not the people they hire are law-abiding citizens in general. If you don't obey the law when you drive, then maybe you don't have respect for other laws ... or rules ... or policies that protect patient safety ... etc. (And yes, I've had a speeding ticket.) The fact that they are asking you to provide the details means that they will still hire you even with a minor offense. They just want some details to assure that it was not a serious offense.

The criminal background check may not give ANY details about your particular case. They won't know the details and be able to make a judgment about it unless you provide those details.

Specializes in Acute Care.
What's an "Ambulance Driver"?

Sincerely,

hypocaffeinemia, EMT-B

A lot of the fire co. around here have people who are NOT EMTs drive the ambulances.

Of course, there are only volunteer fire depts around here.

First, sorry if I offended anyone by saying "ambulance driver" I wasn't referring to the EMT's -- I know their role and would never be unappreaciative to what they do.

Second, that's just it, it wasn't a speeding ticket! It was letting an unathorized driver drive a car (on a blacktop not a major highway). The driver did not have a suspended license, was not under the influence, heck he wasn't even speeding, we just got stopped on a "routeen check" -- he just didn't have his license at the time.

Another thing, I've had backround checks before (this violation happened before I started nursing school) and they didn't say anything to me.

I'm still going to send the papper work, I just thought it was dumb and needed to vent. thanks for your thoughts

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