What a nasty surprise—you were looking forward to starting a career in nursing, only the state of California has denied your application. Or perhaps you have some bumps in your past and wonder if California might deny your application.
Here is a look at some common roadblocks for burgeoning nurses as they seek licensure.
Suspended licenses in other fields or disciplinary actions
If you had a license in another health care field and had that license suspended, the Board of Registered Nursing could see that and use that as grounds to deny your nursing application.
A similar principle applies if you have been disciplined in another job or in a nursing job in another state. For example, say that while working in Colorado as a nurse, you faced a minor disciplinary issue. You may even have forgotten about it. However, California is very strict and does not take it lightly if you forget to disclose being disciplined as, say, a licensed vocational nurse or if you have been disciplined in another state.
Lack of proper disclosure
A disciplinary issue is not the only thing requiring disclosure. You must disclose all criminal convictions, even misdemeanors and DUIs. The convictions in themselves can be grounds for your license application to be denied, but failing to disclose in hopes that the board never finds out about your conviction makes the situation much worse. It may even be possible for your attorney to get the conviction expunged.
Accusation of breaking a rule during the NCLEX
Wrongdoing during nursing examinations is taken seriously, enough that it can net a license denial. Perhaps someone thought he or she saw you checking your cellphone during a break, but that was not the case. However, if this allegation makes its way to the nursing board, it could cause problems.
If you think you may end up with a license denial, having a lawyer help you with the application can prevent the denial in many situations. If you have already received the denial, it can be wise to use a lawyer to help you appeal.