As a medical professional, you undoubtedly know the health dangers of excessive alcohol consumption. What you may not know is that it does not always take an excessive amount of alcohol to place you at risk of a DUI arrest. In fact, many factors can affect the results of a blood alcohol concentration test, including your size, your diet and the calibration of the machine officers use to test you.
Whatever the situation, if you are facing charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, you may have more on the line than most people. In addition to the legal and civil penalties you may face, you may wonder if your career in the health care industry is also on the line.
You have so much at risk
To work in the medical profession, it is not enough to spend years getting the appropriate education and completing your practicum. In addition, you must meet a high standard of moral character. This is because you deal with the health and safety of other people, and the hospital, clinic or office where you work may have difficulty fighting a malpractice suit if they have an employee on staff with a DUI in his or her history.
Additionally, the success of your work often depends on gaining the trust of your patients. The various boards that oversee medical professionals have a duty to protect the public from doctors, surgeons, nurses, EMTs and others who may cause them harm. The Wisconsin board that licenses those in your field expects you to represent your profession to the public, even when you are off duty. A DUI conviction may result in any of the following career-damaging consequences:
- Failure to pass a background check when you apply for licensure or a new job in your field
- Termination from your job
- Disciplinary hearings and punitive actions from the board of your profession
- Suspension or revocation of your professional license
If the position you hold in the medical field is an EMT, your job may certainly be on the line. A DUI conviction in Wisconsin, even a first offense, results in the suspension of your driver's license, which is important to an EMT. However, the fines, alcohol counseling, community service and other penalties may only add to your struggles. When you work in the medical field, you may benefit from the help of an attorney who has a history of success assisting those with complex DUI cases.