A first-time DUI conviction in Minnesota can temporarily suspend your driving privileges and result in up to one year in jail. However, you may face additional consequences from professional organizations like the Minnesota Board of Nursing, which receive notification of your offense.
Nurses with DUI convictions breach the standards they must uphold to perform their jobs and risk losing their licenses.
What can a nurse expect after a DUI conviction?
Motorists who injure others while driving under the influence may be liable for extensive civil damages in addition to the fines and jail time they face. However, if you are a nurse with a DUI, you can expect to face more scrutiny than others from the licensing board when renewing your license.
You may be able to maintain your license; however, your judgment will be in question, and you may face disciplinary action, including working under another nurse’s supervision during a probationary period. If you are guilty of a repeat DUI, there is a high probability that you will lose your license.
Is it possible to lessen the impact of a DUI conviction?
Driving under the influence has severe consequences in Minnesota. A conviction can undo the hard work you undertake to become a nurse. Still, it may be possible to reduce the impact of your actions if you do not have prior offenses, do not cause another’s injury or avoid a conviction. Reducing or dropping the charges against you may be possible for a first offense without injuries, but Minnesota courts are intolerant of repeat offenses.
Nurses who drive under the influence risk losing their professional license and ending the careers they envision.