All nursing students will be required to complete a background check and urine drug screen upon acceptance into the nursing program.
Please review the following information prior to submitting an application to the nursing program to determine if this requirement will have an impact on your ability to obtain clearance from the clinical facilities required for clinical rotations or the ability to obtain an RN license.
The background check and drug screen reports will be with the clinical facilities prior to the start of the clinical rotations. Clearance decisions are made on a case-by-case basis by the clinical facilities once you have been admitted to the nursing program, prior to each clinical rotation.
If a background check and/or drug screen is "flagged" as not clear of all convictions and/or drugs, the clinical facilities will review the flagged reports and determine if a student will be allowed to complete a clinical rotation at their respective clinical site. If a clinical facility does not clear a student to be at the site, the student will be unable to complete the clinical component of the nursing program. This may occur at any point in the nursing program, including during the final semester. As a result, the student will be dismissed from the nursing program at the time the decision is made by a clinical facility. There are no written criteria for which flagged results will result in the denial of clinical placement by a clinical facility. The decision is made on a case-by-case basis.
In addition to the clearance needed for clinical rotations during the nursing program, graduates will need to complete a more extensive background check when applying to the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) for an RN license. Applicants with a record of substance abuse or conviction of violations of federal, state or local laws related to controlled substances, alcohol or other drugs or any offense (misdemeanor or felony) should know that they may not be eligible for licensure as a registered nurse.
Your primary source of determining the impact of prior convictions on the ability to obtain an RN license is the CA Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) website: www.rn.ca.gov . The information from the BRN includes the following statement:
[All convictions must be reported to the BRN - both misdemeanor and felony and "driving under the influence". Convictions must be reported even if they have been expunged.]
The following links will take you directly to information on the BRN website related to reporting of convictions.
https://www.rn.ca.gov/applicant-enforcement.shtml
https://www.rn.ca.gov/enforcement/convictions.shtml
In summary, the purpose of the background check and drug screen for nursing students is to protect the public. The clinical facilities have the responsibility for protecting their patients, and they will determine whether or not a student can participate in clinical rotations at their facilities.
The Board of Registered Nursing is responsible for protecting public safety through the licensing process. The process of completing an Associate Degree program in nursing will not result in the ability of an individual to practice as a nurse. All graduates of the nursing program must submit an application to the Board of Registered Nursing for review. Previous convictions may result in a denial of licensure.
Discrimination Statement
The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, nationality, gender, age, or handicap in admission or access to, treatment of, or employment in, its programs and activities.
8800 Grossmont College Drive
El Cajon, California 92020
619-644-7000
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