From Abandoning Patients to Allegedly Stealing Thousands, Nursing Assistants in RI Facing Sanctions
GoLocalProv News Team
From Abandoning Patients to Allegedly Stealing Thousands, Nursing Assistants in RI Facing Sanctions
According to RIDOH, licensed nursing assistants were found to have committed a number of violations, from administering wrong medication, billing for hours not worked, not showing up to work — and in one case, allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars.
The sanctions have ranged from reprimands — seven in total — to a license revocation following a nursing assistant's arrest earlier this year for allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars from a patient.
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There have been a number of RIDOH license health actions in recent months, including RIDOH issuing a summary suspension of a licensed massage therapist at Bellevue Massage in Newport — after he reportedly “groped the breasts and tweaked the nipples” of a patient — and then suspending the business owner for trying to cover it up.
GoLocal inquired with RIDOH about the spate of nursing assistant actions.
RIDOH on Record
"Issues with nursing assistants either leaving their shifts or not showing up for their shifts are generally reported by staffing agencies or facilities. Sometimes residents at home report to us directly, but complaints usually come to RIDOH after first being brought to the attention of agencies," said RIDOH spokesperson Joseph Wendelken.
"Healthcare professionals have obligations to the patients and residents in their care," he added. "While the circumstances of each reprimand are different, safety issues could result from nursing assistants missing or leaving their shifts."
"We believe that these are effective first steps. We take an incremental approach to disciplinary actions. If issues persist, we take more significant measures with licensees," said Wendelken.
In May, RIDOH also lifted the suspension of Mohamed Diop, who had been arrested in 2023 for assaulting a patient; a motion to dismiss that case was granted in February 2024, according to court records.
RI Nursing Assistant Sanctions - June 11, 2024
Reprimand
Nursing Assistant: Tomar Dhamani
Date: April 17, 2024
According to RIDOH:
On January 3, 2024 Respondent was employed as a nursing assistant at a nursing facility and incorrectly documented the amount of food [a resident] consumed, was not properly seated will assisting resident in consuming food, and was utilizing his personal cell phone while in resident’s room.
The conduct described…constitutes unprofessional conduct pursuant to R.I. General Laws $23-17.9-1 and the Rules and Regulations promulgated there under.
Respondent is hereby issued the sanction of a reprimand.
Reprimand
Nursing Assistant: Shilbey Pike
Date: April 17, 2024
According to RIDOH:
At all times relevant hero, Respondent was employe as a medication aide at an assisted living center.
On or about August 10, 2023, Respondent unintentionally and accidentally administered medication intended for one resident at the facility for another resident at the facility.
The conduct described…constitutes unprofessional conduct pursuant to R.I. General Laws $23-17.9-8 and the Rules and Regulations promulgated there under.
Respondent is herby issued the sanction of a Reprimand.
Reprimand
Nursing Assistant: Maria Sanchez Luzon
Date: April 26, 2024
According to RIDOH:
On or about February 17, 2024, Respondent was employed as a nursing assistant by a home care agency.
On or about February 17, 2024, respondent failed to appear at the home of a client for whom she was scheduled to provide services, thus abandoning her client.
The conduct described…constitutes unprofessional conduct pursuant to R.I. General Laws $23-17.9-1 and the Rules and Regulations promulgated there under.
Respondent is herby issued the sanction of a Reprimand.
Reprimand
Nursing Assistant: Luz Almonte Marte de Reilly
Date: May 1, 2024
According to RIDOH:
That on or about January 19, 2024, Respondent was employed as a nursing assistant by a home care nursing agency.
That on or about January 19 2024, Respondent clocked in at 9:12 AM and clocked out at 2:08 PM, but did not enter the home to provide services, those abandoning her patient.
The conduct described…constitutes unprofessional conduct pursuant to R.I. General Laws $23-17.9-1 and the Rules and Regulations promulgated there under.
Respondent is hereby issued the sanction of a Reprimand.
Consent Order
Nursing Assistant: Kaylee Simpson
Date: May 3, 2024
According to RIDOH:
Respondent was licensed by the State of Rhode Island as a Nursing Assistant with a 120 day permit from February 8, 2023 up to and including June 8, 2023.
At all times relevant hereto, Respondent was employed as a nursing assistant by Grace Barker Health, Warren, Rhode Island.
On or about September 26, 2023, the Rhode Island Department of Health determined that Respondent was employed by Grace Barker Health as a nursing assistant after her temporary nursing assistant license had expired and was working as a nursing assistant with out a license.
The conduct described…constitutes unprofessional conduct pursuant to R.I. General Laws $23-17.9-1 and the Rules and Regulations promulgated there under.
Respondent agrees to a finding that she engaged in unprofessional conduct…the consent order shall become a permanent part of Respondent’s record maintained by RIDOH.
Active Probation
Nursing Assistant: Maria Alves
Date: May 15, 2024
According to RIDOH:
The respondent worked in 2023 as a nursing assistant for a staff agency and works in the Central Falls school district and submitted time sheets to her agency indicated she worked on dates at the high school in March 2023 — when she did not.
The respondents’s actions violated R.I. General Laws $23-17.9-8(6)…the departed requests that a two-year period of Active Probation on Respondent’s nursing assistant registration be imposed.
The respondent must work as a nursing assistant at a hospital or nursing facility with direct supervision for a period of two years. Repondent may not work as a nursing assistant in a private home or anywhere else without direct supervision.
Revoked
Nursing Assistant: Christina Scanlon
Date: May 15, 2024
According to RIDOH:
The Respondent was employed by a staffing agency an assigned to a patient over 65 years of age at the patient’s home.
The Respondent began working for the patient on February 14, 2023 and over the course of 6 months stole approximately $25,000 in total from the patient by withdrawing money from the patient’s bank account using the patient’s bank debit card. The respondent was charged with fraudulent use of credit card, embezzlement and fraudulent conversion, exploitation of an elder, and Medicare fraud.
Based on the foregoing, the respondent violated R.I. General Laws $23-17.9-8(1), (5), and (6)…the undersigned recommends that Respondent’s nursing assistant registration be revoked.
Note: Scanlon's criminal trial is still ongoing.
Active Probation
Nursing Assistant: Ebony Igle
Date: May 15, 2024
According to RIDOH:
The Respondent’s registration was summarily suspended on January 11, 2023. The respondent did not request a hearing.
The respondent’s registration expires June 30, 2024.
The evidence showed that while the Respondent was employed at a health care facility, she left a razor in a patient’s room.
The undersigned recommends that the summary suspend on Respondent’s registration be lifted..and a period of two year active probation be imposed. The conditions will continued to be in place if the Respondent chooses to renew her registration.
Reprimand
Nursing Assistant: Tramaine Jose Irby
Date: May 21, 2024
According to RIDOH:
That on or about April 10, 2024, Respondent was employed as a nursing assistant and was assigned to work for a patient at the patient’s home
That on or about April 10, 2024, Respondent did not go to the patient’s home, thus abandoning the patient.
“The conduct described…constitutes unprofessional conduct pursuant to R.I. General Laws $23-17.9-1 and the Rules and Regulations promulgated there under.”
Respondent is hereby issued the sanction of Reprimand.
Reprimand
Nursing Assistant: Jayda Reid
Date: May 21, 2024
According to RIDOH:
That on or about April 10, 2024, Respondent was employed as a nursing assistant and was assigned to work for a patient at the patient’s home
That on or about April 10, 2024, Respondent did not go to the patient’s home, thus abandoning the patient.
The conduct described…constitutes unprofessional conduct pursuant to R.I. General Laws $23-17.9-1 and the Rules and Regulations promulgated there under.
Respondent is hereby issued the sanction of Reprimand.
Reprimand
Nursing Assistant: Michel Romero Hazim
Date: May 21, 2024
According to RIDOH:
That on or about March 28 and 29, and April 1, 2, and 3, 2024 Respondent was employed as a nursing assistant and was assigned to work for a patient at the patient’s home in Providence Rhode Island.
That on or about March 28 and 29, and April 1, 2, and 3, 2024 Respondent was in the Dominican Republic. Respondent told the patient that she would be on vacation on March 28 and 29, and April 1, 2, and 3, 2024.
Respondent asked a friend of her to clock in and out for her while she was in the Dominican Republic to make it appear as if she had worked at the patient’s home on those dates. The friend did so and Respondent submitted timesheet to her employee [sic] indicating that she had worked at the patient’s home, thus committing fraud.
Respondent is hereby issued the sanction of a Reprimand.
