Admission of Guilt or Liability in an Essay

I have read more than a few essays on this site. My concern is that a candidate will divulge "cool" stories without considering if it is a written admission to an illegal act? Performing surgical procedures, reading private medical information outside a "need to know" basis, writing prescriptions etc for a job. Well, that is admission of violating state and federal statues for things that only a licensed professional should do. Maybe having an older wiser member of your physical community would help you not admit to clear unlawful acts unwittingly. Members of a board of admissions for a medical or legal school would be required ethically to report you and your employer if there are legal or safety issues revealed in your story. The same is true in job interviews and in either case they will have a list of your employers and references as well! Be cautious in your descriptions!

Well, shouldn't someone be truthful and honest in both their interviews and essays? Isn't this what all of us are trying to achieve, a honest community? How can you deny the fact that you may have been responsible or liable for a damage? Although your mistakes can be argued for, every person has the right to write the truth as wrong as the action may have been.

In a soapbox sense you could claim freedom of speech. However, anything one says can and will be used against them in a court of law. Recently, admissions on networking sites have been cause for employees to be fired and litigants in divorce to loose property or custody based on admissions in writing.

Yesterday, I a nurse school applicant essay admitting to performing surgical procedures which may get her and her employer investigated. The HIPPA act and numerous health care laws were enacted so that only qualified individuals with degrees, certifications, and liability insurance perform such procedures to protect citizens from malpractice. All citizens of the US are responsible for following the letter of the law whether or not they are aware of them. I wish to give a word of caution to admitting to illegal acts in a written document. Citizens should be aware of implications of their admissions.

This is a good point, for sure! I hope I have not written anything too incriminating here...

;-)