Wisconsin is among just a handful of states that currently do not require a fingerprint criminal records check for nurses to be licensed, reports The Denver Post.
Wisconsin, like Colorado only requires self-disclosure of one’s criminal past, which according to the Post has created problems in Colorado.
“Nurses with convictions for sexual offenses, drug thefts and crimes of violence have escaped detection,” the Post reports.
Back in Wisconsin, the Department of Safety and Professional Services website says if you “are convicted of a misdemeanor or felony in this state or elsewhere, you are required to notify the Department in writing of the date, place and nature of the conviction within 48 hours after the entry of the judgment of conviction. Failure to submit notification could result in disciplinary action against your license.”
But is that enough? Should nurses seeking a license in Wisconsin undergo a more stringent background vetting process?
“It certainly sounds like something worth checking into,” says Rep. Andre Jacque (R-2nd District), during an interview with TODAY’S TMJ4.
Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, and Michigan all require fingerprint criminal records checks for nurses, according to the Post.
