I am attending an OVI update this year again in Ohio. Its sponsored by the Ohio State Bar Association and has live simulcast in Fairfield, Ohio.
This will be my third DUI/OVI/DWI update this year. No, I am not a criminal defense attorney but as a license defense attorney, I am seeing more of these cases in my law practice which turn on a suitability for licensure depending on the State.
Also some counties are going "hard core" with DUIs and I spoke with a relative of a nurse who is currently incarcerated on a second DUI conviction where there was bodily injury. Nurses, if you have a DUI conviction and you want to know how it will impact your license if at all, contact a license defense attorney in your state or jurisdiction.
Its "not just a DUI" anymore (say 5 to 10 years ago) because personally I doing more consultations where there are multiple DUIs and/or a felony DUI at issue. Most DUI attorney or traffic law attorneys are specialists and therefore are not familiar with State Nursing Board discipline. Why would you expect your DUI attorney or criminal defense attorney to know about the Nurse Practice Act, nursing standards of practice, and history of State Nursing Board discipline in your state from the last several years anyway?
Don't get it twisted and assume "its just a DUI and its no big deal" because every other person you know has a DUI and it didn't impact their career, job, or certificate. You are special; you are not everyone else because you a licensed nurse with a code of ethics, legal rights, obligations, and duties, and you provide specialized and skilled nursing care to the public. Again don't get it twisted and if you do get it twisted, contact my office and we can help you straighten it out if you are licensed in Ohio, Kentucky, and/or Indiana.
A DUI MAY (I didn't say "will" baby because I don't give legal advice on this blog) have license implications for nurses depending on the state(s) where you are licensed to practice nursing, may have implications for your employment (your employer may have a legitimate concern about patient safety and fitness for duty depending on the circumstances) , and your career.
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