Criminal Record Check
The Newfoundland and Labrador College of Nurses is the regulatory body for all licensed practical nurses (LPNs), registered nurses (RNs), registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs), and nurse practitioners (NPs) in the province. The primary mandate of the College is public protection. The College achieves this by ensuring that all nurses meet the requirements for licensure, and by promoting standards for safe, competent and ethical nursing practice.
As required under the College’s By-Laws, if you wish to apply to become licensed to practice nursing in Newfoundland and Labrador must submit a current Criminal Record Check (CRC). As well, nurses are required to immediately notify the College of any pending charges or a finding of guilt of an offence under the Criminal Code of Canada or similar law in Canada or another country.
Am I required to submit a CRC?
If you are applying for initial licensure to practice nursing in Newfoundland and Labrador you are required to submit a CRC and declare if you have been convicted of an offence or have any pending charges.
If you currently reside in Canada and have Canadian citizenship, permanent resident status, or other visa/work permit status, you must provide a CRC for Canada.
If you do not currently reside in Canada you must submit a CRC for each country you have lived in.
If you are applying for reinstatement of your practicing licence and you have not held a licence with the College within the last 12 months you are required to submit a CRC and declare if you have been convicted of an offence.
What does a Criminal Record Check include?
- A summary of an individual’s offence convictions and non-convictions that are releasable in accordance with federal laws.
- Criminal offences can include impaired driving, assault, robbery, fraud, sexual offenses, and most drug-related offenses.
- A criminal record is a record of criminal activity, regardless of the outcome in court.
How do I obtain a CRC?
Canadian Criminal records are maintained by the Canadian Policing Information Centre and shared by Local police across the country.
You may avail of the following online provider CSI Screening and select the Enhanced Canadian Criminal Record Check. CSI will provide your results electronically to the College within 24-48 hours.
If you get a CRC through local police or the RCMP, the original hard copy or electronic version of the CRC must be submitted to the College. Hard copy documents must be submitted by mail or drop off. Electronic PDF documents must be emailed and must be able to be verified.
If you are not currently in Canada and do not have a Canadian immigration status you must provide a CRC for each country you have worked in as an adult for six (6) months or greater. You may be able to use CSI Screening for countries outside Canada. Contact CSI to explore options or obtain a CRC through local/national police services in the applicable country and mail the original hard copy document to the College.
Hard copy documents must be mailed to the College; fax or email copies are not accepted.
You must request the CRC under the name on you application for registration and all other surnames and be dated within 6 months prior to the date registration is issued. If the CRC is greater than 6 months old at point of initial registration an updated one may be required.
What will happen if I have a criminal conviction, criminal record or pending charges?
If you declare you have a criminal conviction or record you must submit the following documentation to the College:
- Narrative summary of the conviction including status of any court-imposed sanctions (e.g. payment of surcharge fines).
- Court documentation such as RCMP Criminal Convictions, Conditional And Absolute Discharges and related information.
- Any other documentation provided by the court/justice system regarding the conviction.
Once the College receives all documentation, it is forwarded to the Director of Registration for review. The College will act in accordance with the Nurses Act and Nurses Regulations.
Information regarding next steps will be communicated to you.
For more information on self-reporting of criminal offenses and information regarding Certificate of Conduct, contact the College’s Registration Department at (709) 753-6040 or registration@nlcn.ca.
As a Registrant am I required to notify the College of a Criminal Conviction or pending criminal charges?
Yes. If you hold a licence to practice with the College, you have a duty to report a criminal conviction or pending criminal charges. You must notify the College immediately and notification should be sent to the Director of Registration. You must submit a narrative statement with respect to the conviction or charge and provide court documentation. The College will review the information to determine next steps.