Will my backgroubd keep me from getting my nursing license?

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Hi, I'm new here and am about to start my prerequisites before starting the nursing program next year. I'm concerned that my background is going to prevent me from getting licensed even after spending tons of time, energy, and money on my education. My dream is to be a nurse and it's taken me years to get where I am now due to addiction. I'm sober now and just recently had a baby so I'm ready to fulfill my dream! My only problem is I have a 3rd degree felony from almost 12 years ago for forgery that really wasn't my fault as I didn't forge anything, but I had to plea out as advised by my attorney. What happened is my ex husband stole a check from his mother and deposited it into our joint bank account so it essentially was my fault too which still to this day I think is unfair....is this going to prevent me from getting my license? Also, I have a recent misdemeanor that was really an accident!! I was grocery shopping and the baby was freaking out and I had forgot an item in the stroller and they said I stole the item, so I was arrested for pett theft and tried to fight it in court and explained what happened but my best bet was pleading no contest and paying the fines but now that's on my record too....what are my chances of getting licensed in the state of Florida with these two things on my background check??

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I would contact the Florida nursing board with this question. They will probably tell you that they make decisions on a case by case basis.

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From what I have learned, (and this is just my opinion from what I have gathered in this forum) it will be hard to get into nursing school. If you do get in, it will then be VERY hard to get licensed. You have to hire an attourney and the whole process may take months to years. And then if you do end up getting your license after all that, it will be almost impossible to find a job.

:(

I am sorry for being so cynical but I am depressed about this too. I am hoping to find many success stories to encourage me to go on and pursue nursing :(

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Specializes in Informatics, Orthopaedics.

In my experience explaining the how, why, and what the circumstances were is irrelevant. What's relevant is the outcome. Sorry to be harsh, but that's the reality of it.

My advice would be to see about appealing/expunging your record...THAT would be where you go to explain the circumstances. Again, in my experience persistence pays off in matters such as those.

Beyond that, as was said check in with your nursing board. I have seen people go through nursing school, spend mega $ just to find out they have no chance of getting a license.

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Specializes in Occ. Hlth, Education, ICU, Med-Surg.

this is not the forum to seek legal advice...you need to contact a lawyer and the BON to obtain the answers you are looking for.

from a nonlegal viewpoint....you're going to have an extremely difficult time getting accepted into a school. Should you somehow get in it's extremely unlikely you'll be hired.

Sorry for the bad news but it's based on your history not your rationales

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I think because of the new rules of being licensed in the state your felony might still fall under the 15 year waiting period before you can get a license. I would request copies of your court documents and see what you were charged with and then go on the Florida BON web site and compare it with the new rules. I have a felony from 7 years ago and it is not covered I under the 15 year waiting period and was able to get my CNA license but still have yet to find a job. I honestly believe that jumping through the BON hoops is much easier then landing a job because of the trust issues.

I applied to many nursing schools in Florida and got turned down because of my background. I don't want to burst your bubble but if I were you I would contact an attorney about expunging your record and making sure you have your civil rights back before you apply to school.

Best of luck!!

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Specializes in PICU, ICU, Hospice, Mgmt, DON.

Just a note....the BON will still have access to all records that are expunged.... schools, hospitals and other employers do not but the Nursing Boards do, they fall under a higher standard and have access to the FBI background sites.

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I agree with diva RN. Even if you expunge it you have to report it.

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Thanks for all the advice everyone!! It's all much appreciated. Since my post I have done tons of research on the Florida BON and the Florida statutes regarding licensure and its looking like things may be ok for me but only because it's so old and I think expunging my record is a waste considering the BON will still have access anyways and I think in Florida you can request for exemption by the BON meaning any jobs you apply for the board will vouch for you as far as your background being cleared by them that you're ok to hire. I think!! Another thing is I'm going to FHCHS now known as ADU and I know from friends going there that if you go to school there 99.9% of the time you get hired on there so my fingers are still crossed to be accepted and I'm waiting for that decision now and it should be any day now since I actually just got my ACT scores back today. Thanks again everyone ;)

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One more thing the recent stupid misdemeanor I just found out isn't on my record because adjudication was withheld which a lawyer friend of mine says that means I was charged but not convicted and that it's not on my background at all which is nice for school but I'll still have to explain myself to the Florida BON but I gotta tell you I'll put up a fight for my license because this is my dream and I know in my heart it's what I'm supposed to do!!

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You can always go to FDLE website and to a criminal history search on yourself. It's 24$ and you get results right away. That will tell you what is on your records, including if that misdemeanor is or isn't. I didn't think my adj. withheld was on mine, but sure enough it was.

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... I just found out isn't on my record because adjudication was withheld which a lawyer friend of mine says that means I was charged but not convicted and that it's not on my background at all which is nice for school but I'll still have to explain myself to the Florida BON ...

The reason it will show up to the Florida BON is because the arrest will be on the FBI background check. But the good news is that after the statute of limitation (SOL) runs you can petition for expungement of the arrest record citing that you were never charged within the time of the SOL. Also the arrest will not show up on regular state reports which employers and anyone in the public for that matter are privy to.

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