By Michael O’Connor and Rick Ruggles, Omaha World-Herald, Neb.
Jul. 14–According to state documents, officials with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services have issued the following allegations and disciplinary actions against medical professionals licensed in Nebraska:
–Suspended registered nurse Nancy Brtek’s license for 30 days and ordered her to take an ethics course. Brtek gave her computer password and log-on information to a co-worker so that individual could complete an advanced cardiac life support test for Brtek, of Norfolk.
–Extended through Oct. 16, 2010, the probation of licensed practical nurse Stephanie Carolus of Lincoln. Carolus, who had been issued a probationary license in October 2007 because of infractions involving alcohol, tested positive for alcohol in December 2007. Her probationary terms required her to abstain from alcohol.
–Censured registered nurse Carol Cheetsos of Gothenburg and ordered her to take an ethics course for accessing medical records and sharing confidential information with co-workers in violation of federal regulations.
–Fined Omaha dentist Bruce Govier $1,000 and censured him for unprofessional conduct for prescribing drugs for a person who was not his patient and without meeting or examining that patient.
–Suspended until Jan. 10, 2009, Dr. Donald Harrison’s license to practice medicine and surgery. Among other reasons, documents show, Harrison, of Omaha, tested positive for Tramadol in 2006 and did not have a prescription for it.
–Censured registered nurse Jack McCord of Oshkosh for sleeping on duty in an empty patient room on May 4, 2007.
–Suspended for 30 days the license of Leslee Mosley, a licensed practical nurse, for unprofessional conduct and failure to exercise competence. Mosley, of Omaha, was accused of leaving her nursing shift at a facility without providing a verbal report and for failing to report her termination from the facility to the state within 30 days. Mosley, who was censured, also left her shift early at another facility without completing treatments, without providing the other nurse with patient reports and without charting, documents say.
–Revoked the license of Jeannette Nielsen of Omaha as a licensed practical nurse for unprofessional conduct involving “habitual intoxication or dependence upon controlled substances and alcohol.”
–Fined pharmacist Monique Robinson $5,000, censured her and gave her probation for two years. Robinson, of Phoenix, Ill., dispensed controlled substances without a medical order while practicing in Omaha and failed to maintain accurate records.
–Ordered licensed practical nurse Janice F. Staman of Scottsbluff to complete a refresher course, at her own expense, covering her scope of practice. Staman also was censured. The discipline involved improprieties in her application of intravenous fluid to a patient in August 2006.
–Censured Lara Sumpter of Hamburg, Iowa, for practicing beyond her authorized scope as a licensed practical nurse. Documents indicate she “assessed, diagnosed and treated” patients, behaving beyond her scope while a physician was on vacation.
–Ordered registered nurse Geraldine Tanderup to continue to receive counseling and be on probation for two years . Tanderup, of Ord, was convicted of violating a protection harassment order and third degree assault, both misdemeanors.
Iowa actions
Officials with the Iowa Board of Nursing issued the following allegations and disciplinary actions against medical professionals licensed in western Iowa:
–Indefinitely suspended the license of Sioux City nurse Sandra Christensen pending a chemical dependency evaluation. She administered medication hours before schedule at a long-term care facility and charted medication not given. While on duty at another facility, she was intoxicated as demonstrated by a chemical test.
–Fined Teresa Ann Gardner of Fonda $100 for working at a long-term care facility in March and April 2006 while her license was inactive.
–Suspended Linda Hovde’s nursing license for at least a year for unethical conduct. Hovde, of South Sioux City, Neb., failed to perform a complete assessment of a patient, failed to document assessments and changes in the patient’s status and failed to notify the patient’s physician of changes.
–Tracy A. Loucks of Bismarck, Mo., agreed to relinquish her right to practice nursing in Iowa. She admitted to diverting a drug, Fentanyl, from a Nebraska hospital for about five months while living in Iowa and working in Nebraska. Her privilege to practice nursing in Nebraska had previously been revoked.
–Placed the license of Sioux City nurse Stacey R. Monell on probation for 12 months. Monell self-reported alcohol, marijuana and amphetamine addiction.
–Issued a warning to Manning nurse Kadee Smith. Smith was counseled for medication errors and failing to perform an exam prior to the initiation of medication in accordance with facility policy.
–Contact the writer: 444-1122, [email protected]
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