Criminal Background Checks (CBC) for Nurse Licensure

ANA Position Statement
Approved: April 2013

Purpose
Of the nation’s 55 boards of nursing (excluding U.S. territories), 40 boards conduct state and federal criminal background checks. Fourteen states, AL, CO, CT, HI, ME, MA, MN, MT, NE, NY, PA, VT, VA, & WI do not conduct CBCs. 4 The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) is conducting a major initiative to assist boards in adoption of state and federal criminal background checks. Their goal is to have all states enact requirements for state and federal CBCs by 2015.

ANA Position
ANA supports the use of criminal background checks as a part of the RN licensure process as one means of enhancing public safety, as long as the criminal background check does not unnecessarily burden the applicant nor interfere with due process.

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