Detailed description of the circumstances

State what happened factually and chronologically. Don’t offer excuses or cast blame, but include underlying circumstances.

It can be very helpful to describe the conditions in your life at the time that affected your decisions. Most bad choices don’t come out of nowhere, and people understand that.

Your insight into your own behavior here is key. Tell them what you’ve learned about yourself, and how your values have changed.

Thorough description of the rehabilitative changes in your lifestyle

The BRN wants to see that you have taken responsibility, and put systems in place to ensure that there is not a reoccurrence of the problem.

List everything you’ve done to prevent future occurrences. This can include attending a recovery program, community work, therapy. Include compliance with terms of probation, restitution, or parole.

You may live in a different area with positive influences now, or maybe you’ve joined support groups. Show that you are not the same person who committed the offense.

Show remorse

You are genuinely sorry for what you did. You now know you could have harmed yourself, or someone else.

You can’t change the past, but you can control your future behavior. You have grown from this and regret the choices you made in the past.

You are remorseful.

Consider getting letter-writing help

It’s best to get help from someone to write this, unless you are very confident in your writing skills.

Some applicants find it helpful to retain a lawyer during the process, to ensure that the licensing process goes smoothly. This can be expensive, and not all attorneys accept payments over time. Start saving for legal expenses in advance if you anticipate a problem, and be patient

Letters of Reference

Letters of reference should be on official letterhead from employers, nursing instructors, health professionals, professional counselors, parole or probation officers, or other individuals in positions of authority who are knowledgeable about your rehabilitation efforts.

They must be signed and dated within the past year.

What to expect

You may face probation, a conditional license with probation terms, a fine, or citation. If your DUI was a fairly low BAC, you may only face a letter of reprimand or a citation and fine.

Do not ignore mail from the BRN or Attorney General’s office. Make sure your current address is on file at all times.

Your failure to respond to the Statement of Issues will result in the denial of your license application by a default process.

The BRN decides on these cases individually, and the decision may take some time. A criminal history does not mean that you cannot become a nurse, but it may mean extra work and extra expenses.