Student caught stealing....

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Would you press criminal charges if one of your students took money from your wallet? The student has been expelled from the program but has not returned the money If I press charges theres a chance I could get my money back and hopefully she would be prevented from applying to another nursing school... Just looking for opinions. Thanks!

Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

CAN OF WORMS ALERT! Sissy, let's not branch out into assumptions and queries about race. None of this thread, its posts or contents made any reference to race. That is a completely unrelated and irrelevant subject. The only person "perceiving race as an issue" seems to be you. This student stole, she had gotten kicked out of her previous nursing program and is about to be kicked out of this one. Her classmates suspect that she copied a paper from another student. She let a poor housekeeper take the fall for her behavior. She has been given the opportunity to talk to the dean, the instructor, and her parents and has yet to make the situation right. She lied to the security guard, made up another lie to cover up her theft and then lied to the police officer on the phone. She eventually confessed but only after the officer caught her in yet another lie.

Do you see any mention of race at all? We are discussing her behavior, the consequences that she faces now and how the OP feels about the situation...NOT the student's DNA.

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Raggedyann I think you made a wise decision.

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It is beyond me why anyone would work so hard to get through the training of becoming a nurse to ruin it all by stealing a few dollars. This student clearly has mental issues and shouldn't be a nurse.

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Staff request: As several people have mentioned, except for a brief, unfortunate detour, race and ethnicity have not been a part of this discussion. Let's keep it that way.

Any further off-topic references will be dealt with.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
i was a hungry young girl growing up. i ate off the floor, out of the garbage can, i could not afford deodarants, my stocking had holes so big..., i ate others left overs. once i had a roach in my plate at a resturant, yes i continued eating. but i grew up in a time when personal relationships were important. no one called the authorities to report my parents for neglect, nor did they report me for my indignations.

op you have done what you thought was honorable. i do not know what i would have done. i do know this girl did not take your belongings for the fun of it.

was it worth it. what was her back ground and ethnicity?

i grew up poor, too, and it never would have occurred to me to steal. you really do not know why this girl stole -- maybe it was for the fun of it. maybe it was because she wanted the latest ipod or a trip to the beach. we really don't know. the op did what she -- and most of us -- thought was right. it's done now. it's in the hands of the law -- as it should be.

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
The student confessed to the theft.

Then all you need to do is get a witness to go to court that heard her confess or she needs to confess to the court.

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Then all you need to do is get a witness to go to court that heard her confess or she needs to confess to the court.

Shouldn't be hard... she confessed to the police officer.

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
Shouldn't be hard... she confessed to the police officer.

Then why didn't they press charges against her?

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Then why didn't they press charges against her?

They are. Maybe you missed the OPs update (post #153)?

I am to expect a letter from the court soon. I may have to make an appearance, or not. It's up to the student. If she turns herself in I may not need to testify. If she does not turn hrself in then there will be a warrant out for her arrest. The officer is not playing around.
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Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.

BabyLady - read from the beginning so it makes more sense.

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Specializes in Addiction / Pain Management.

Interesting thread, until the student is convicted I'd sit back and watch.

I'd bet a good defense lawyer could get the confession dismissed or the charged reduced to a misdemeanor. It's amount that's the problem in my state it's $250 or $500(I forget).

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Good job, true justice is a beautiful thing.

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