By Bonnie Phillips
The state Board of Examiners for Nursing last week revoked the licenses of three nurses and disciplined four other nurses, mostly for drug or alcohol abuse.
The licensed practical nurse (LPN) license of Dionne Brown of Bristol was revoked after she was found to have abused or utilized to excess oxycodone and Percocet in 2015 and 2016 while working at Village Green of Bristol Rehabilitation & Health Center; requested and was granted continuances of two hearings on her license; and then failed to attend a scheduled hearing in March 2019.
The board also revoked the LPN license of Christine DeFusco of Rocky Hill after she failed to comply with the terms of her four-year probation that began Jan. 1, 2019, for using alcohol to excess; and for failing to attend a hearing after she was notified of her non-compliance with the terms of her probation, which included submitting to random drug tests.
The LPN license of Katie Ann Martins of Naugutuck was revoked by the board after it found her abuse of alcohol, Klonopin and cocaine affected her ability to practice as a nurse. According to the board’s memorandum of decision, while on an orientation visit with another nurse in a homecare situation, Martins passed out and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. A bottle of alcohol and a prescription bottle of Klonopin were found in her purse.
The LPN license of Cynthia Riley of Plainfield was suspended pending a hearing for failure to meet the standards of care while working at Villa Maria Nursing and Rehabilitation Community in Plainfield. According to a statement of charges, Riley documented that she had performed wound care on a patient when she had not; pre-charted wound care and/or other treatments for patients; and pre-signed for the administration of narcotics for approximately five residents. Her license had previously been suspended by the state board in June 2018 when she admitted she had transferred funds from a patient’s bank account to her own account and used the money to pay bills.
The board placed the RN license of Mary Archer of Westbrook on probation for four years after she was found to have used alcohol to excess in September 2016 while working as a school nurse. While on probation Archer must submit to random drug tests, attend therapy sessions, and avoid solo practice.
The RN license of Lisa B. Vivenzio of Vernon was placed on probation for four years after the board found she used alcohol to excess.
The RN license of Karina Francis of Colchester was suspended for six months and placed on four years’ probation after the board found she abused and/or used controlled substances to excess.
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