Hello, I am so concerned that I will be fired and kicked out from my nursing program. I have never ever been in trouble or any contact whatssoever with the law. I work at a hospital as a certified nursing assistant and i am a freshman in the nursing program. Everything has been going well until I made the dumb and stupid mistake of shoplifting 3items from a store. I got detained by the LP and cops detained me and charged me with misdemeanor shoplifting. They gave me a court date. I am currently looking for a lawyer because I have no idea what to expect. I am ashamed and mortified at what the judge might say..not only that but my record. My family and and everyone around me knows I have been going through severe depression and anxiety and have been supportive thank God. As a matter of fact, I was taken out of work the day prior by my doctor because he noticed I was not in my right state of mind and too depressed. I am on anti depressant and anti anxiety. I am not using this as an excuse of what I did, but never in amillion years have I ever thought of stealing something, or ruin my nursing profession for a couple of dumb items. But I did. :(

Can someone please give me advice? Will I be kicked out of the nursing program when they re send paperwork for my next year and they ask the same question of being convicted and such? Can my case be dismissed or reduce to a charge where it won't show up in criminal background check? Will I ever be able to sit for my NCLEX exam? and will I ever be able to become a nurse? I feel extremely depressed and I sincerely wish I could take it back but I cannot. If my case was to be dismissed and perhaps expunged? can the BON see this? can my school see it? Should I still tell them even if it doesn't show after my court date?

Thanks, all advice is appreciated.

Thank you so much Theresa for your advice. I know, I am super overlwhemed and my health issues do not help. I do see a psychologist already for about a year now and  also know about my severe depression. I have been telling my family and doctor for the past couple of weeks that I was not feeling like myself and I couldn't think correctly. That is why the day before this incident my doctor took me out of work. I am not sure why I did this. I still feel confused about it and everything happened so fast its like a nightmare. I did call an attorney and I will be meeting with him. I did read in the internet that courts do not sympathize with mental issues so I am not sure if I can use that in my favor. All I want is for this to be dismissed so I can move on from my mistake and continue to get my counseling/therapy. I am afraid of my school finding out in the summer when they ask for bci again. Also, with the nclex and work. I do not want this horrible mistake to affect me for the rest of my life. I would be distraught.

Will this issue always show in my record even if it is dismissed or expunged? Do you know or anyone?

Thanks