Dear Nancy,

Last year I was arrested for my first DUI. I went to court and pleaded guilty so that I could get court supervision. I am still serving my court supervision. As long as I don’t violate my court supervision sentence, which I don’t intend to, I will not be convicted of the DUI.

I was sentenced to get an alcohol evaluation, and I was evaluated as minimal risk and completed any court-ordered education. My DUI counselor, knowing that I was an RN, said it would not affect my work. So I never reported it to the Board of Nursing or my employer because I was under the impression it was not necessary. I am concerned about whether or not that was the right thing to do. I was researching graduate programs and am worried about what will come up on my background check and how it will affect me getting into a graduate program. Should I report it to the BON and employer even a year later?

Stella

Dear Stella,

Good for you for working with your treatment plan and successfully completing it. Insofar as whether you should contact your state board of nursing and your employer, you should contact a nurse attorney or attorney in your state who can advise you about this.

Be certain to take all your documents concerning your DUI, court appearances and your treatment with you to the appointment. The attorney will be able to evaluate the exact nature of your treatment and statutes under which you were convicted.

It is important for you as a nurse licensee to remember that although you may be given advice about something affecting or not affecting your practice, you must make a decision based on your state nurse practice act and its requirements. Obtaining legal advice when unsure of a reporting requirement will help place you in the best position to report or not report to the board.

Cordially, Nancy