Can I Be A Nurse With A Dui?
Finding out whether someone can be a nurse with a DUI conviction on their record seems like it should be relatively simple to answer. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case.
Many schools that offer nursing programs are beginning the practice of performing background checks or having the students pay to have their own background check performed. Those that come back with a criminal history or a conviction of a crime are subject to the decision of the school or program itself as to whether the student will be allowed to continue with their training.
However, once a nursing license has been obtained, the question of whether you are still able to be a nurse becomes even more difficult to answer unless you know each individual state’s laws as to the type of information that must be disclosed to the State Board of Nursing in that particular state. This applies to any misdemeanor or criminal conviction, not just a DUI.
Since there no clear cut answers, contacting the state board in the state that you are licensed in to find out what their reporting requirements are is the only way to know whether a DUI will affect your ability to be a nurse.