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Nurse Listing: Public Safety Threats
The following 96 nurses were terminated from the nursing board's recovery program for impaired nurses and were labeled public safety threats because their violations were considered severe. The chart below shows when each nurse was terminated from the diversion program and labeled a threat, as well as how many days it took the nursing board to file an administrative accusation against the nurse. The chart includes two nurses who faced disciplinary action for the first time in 2009.
Nurses were excluded from this list if the board did not explicitly call them a public risk or public safety threat in their accusations or if the board did not include a date for the action.
There are several limitations to this database.
| Name | Date Terminated from Diversion |
Days Elapsed | Accusation Filed | Decision Date | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roberta J. Scott | 12/11/03 | 1,706 | 8/12/08 | 9/27/09 | Probation |
| Laura Lynn Wheaton | 5/20/05 | 1,425 | 4/14/09 | Accusation Pending | |
| Debra Lee Bostic | 11/20/04 | 1,396 | 9/16/08 | Accusation Pending | |
| Teresa Roddy | 4/30/04 | 1,342 | 1/2/08 | 6/18/08 | Revoked |
| Susan Marie Lawler | 2/22/05 | 1,179 | 5/16/08 | Accusation Pending | |
| Melanie M. Volenec | 7/8/04 | 1,154 | 9/5/07 | 7/29/08 | Surrendered |
| Tiffany Renea Fahrni | 12/7/05 | 1,126 | 1/6/09 | 12/18/09 | Revoked |
| Toni Soued | 7/22/04 | 1,118 | 8/14/07 | 4/21/08 | Revoked |
| Aerika Gish | 6/19/02 | 1,069 | 5/23/05 | 11/25/05 | Revoked |
| Jennifer Christine Whitney | 12/29/04 | 1,028 | 10/23/07 | 7/7/08 | Revoked |
| Rebecca Grace Ferea | 3/26/06 | 897 | 9/8/08 | 7/2/09 | Probation |
| Mary Ann Wilk | 12/20/01 | 873 | 5/11/04 | 4/27/06 | Revoked |
| Susan Michele Stump | 7/29/04 | 873 | 12/19/06 | 4/25/08 | Probation |
| Catherine June Wells | 6/23/05 | 869 | 11/9/07 | 12/18/08 | Surrendered |
| Colleen M. McMordie | 2/23/05 | 842 | 6/15/07 | 9/18/08 | Probation |
| Magda Gonzalez | 4/19/06 | 834 | 7/31/08 | Accusation Pending | |
| Jennifer Ann Rouchleau | 3/30/06 | 824 | 7/1/08 | Accusation Pending | |
| Ray Allan Nordfelt | 8/31/04 | 821 | 11/30/06 | 6/11/07 | Probation |
| Jennifer Lynn Matcham (Engell) | 9/7/04 | 800 | 11/16/06 | 7/2/07 | Probation |
| Edith Jenean Frank | 1/8/00 | 796 | 3/14/02 | 11/24/02 | Surrendered |
| Kathy R. Herlong | 6/28/04 | 787 | 8/24/06 | 6/15/07 | Surrendered |
| Patricia Ann Couvertier | 4/6/00 | 783 | 5/29/02 | 7/4/03 | Probation |
| Karla Ann Bigley | 1/13/05 | 768 | 2/20/07 | 8/25/07 | Revoked |
| Kathleen Joan Mora | 8/16/07 | 761 | 9/15/09 | Accusation Pending | |
| Maria G. Womack | 8/14/07 | 728 | 8/11/09 | Accusation Pending | |
| Gina Lynn Dix | 11/14/02 | 718 | 11/1/04 | 7/18/05 | Probation |
| Lisa M. Barber | 4/11/02 | 711 | 3/22/04 | 10/22/04 | Revoked |
| Anette H. Ekelius | 2/28/02 | 686 | 1/15/04 | 8/30/04 | Revoked |
| Carol Marie Patterson | 6/14/05 | 680 | 4/25/07 | 1/29/09 | Suspension/Probation |
| Jennifer Beth De Roque | 6/6/00 | 651 | 3/19/02 | 1/22/03 | Surrendered |
| Kimberlly Hankinson | 3/17/05 | 631 | 12/8/06 | 1/28/08 | Probation |
| Andrea Lee Pence | 1/19/07 | 628 | 10/8/08 | 4/27/09 | Revoked |
| Jane Ann Pravel | 6/10/03 | 611 | 2/10/05 | 12/19/05 | Probation |
| Joseph T. Kinney | 8/3/07 | 598 | 3/23/09 | 10/30/09 | Revoked |
| Phyllis J. Peterson | 8/5/02 | 597 | 3/24/04 | 6/3/05 | Surrendered |
| Elvia Cecilia Kirkpatrick | 9/14/07 | 556 | 3/23/09 | Accusation Pending | |
| Cliff Lowden Murray | 12/5/02 | 546 | 6/3/04 | 2/28/05 | Revoked |
| Karen Mortiboy Iaquinto | 2/15/08 | 543 | 8/11/09 | Accusation Pending | |
| Johanna R. Smith | 2/8/06 | 541 | 8/3/07 | 12/18/08 | Probation |
| Mary Kathryn Davis | 2/2/08 | 535 | 7/21/09 | Accusation Pending | |
| Bianca Leigh Gott | 1/31/06 | 521 | 7/6/07 | 3/21/08 | Surrendered |
| Mary D. Obertrifter | 9/11/03 | 518 | 2/10/05 | 3/9/06 | Probation |
| Karen Diane Alison Messick | 7/5/07 | 510 | 11/26/08 | 9/1/09 | Surrendered |
| Chad Edward Matheny | 4/14/06 | 490 | 8/17/07 | Accusation Pending | |
| Deborah Dobbs | 1/28/05 | 482 | 5/25/06 | 10/2/06 | Surrendered |
| Rosalind Y. Pitchford | 4/27/06 | 476 | 8/16/07 | 12/24/07 | Surrendered |
| Deborah Starr Briones | 12/12/03 | 462 | 3/18/05 | 9/6/05 | Revoked |
| Joseph Martin Larson | 6/16/03 | 459 | 9/17/04 | 7/22/05 | Probation |
| Kelly Louise Luciani | 7/22/01 | 456 | 10/21/02 | 8/12/04 | Surrendered |
| Kevin Congrave Callaway | 8/11/04 | 454 | 11/8/05 | 12/7/06 | Probation |
| Cary Ann Murphy | 2/15/05 | 447 | 5/8/06 | 12/18/06 | Probation |
| Katherine Leigh Whipple | 5/25/06 | 435 | 8/3/07 | 3/15/08 | Surrendered |
| Margaret Therese Doyle | 7/17/08 | 406 | 8/27/09 | Accusation Pending | |
| Shelley O. Wilson | 3/4/04 | 404 | 4/12/05 | 6/16/06 | Probation |
| Kelly Antonini (Burkholder) | 1/31/03 | 402 | 3/8/04 | 2/26/05 | Surrendered |
| Lavon Ann Stewart | 7/10/07 | 402 | 8/15/08 | Accusation Pending | |
| Shannon Farrell | 8/31/07 | 389 | 9/23/08 | 8/6/09 | Revoked |
| Cynthia Ann McCray | 10/18/01 | 385 | 11/7/02 | 8/12/04 | Probation |
| Laura Lee Robinson | 9/30/05 | 364 | 9/29/06 | 3/24/08 | Suspension/Probation |
| Regina Colleen Brown | 7/20/07 | 332 | 6/16/08 | 11/10/08 | Revoked |
| Judith Spencer Rice | 9/12/02 | 329 | 8/7/03 | 3/31/04 | Probation |
| Sarah E. Lacambra | 4/4/06 | 324 | 2/22/07 | 12/17/07 | Probation |
| Claudia Ivette Curiel | 6/12/07 | 316 | 4/23/08 | 1/5/09 | Probation |
| Lori H. Orella | 9/18/01 | 303 | 7/18/02 | 5/17/03 | Probation |
| Kathleen Janice Childress | 10/20/05 | 294 | 8/10/06 | 4/15/07 | Probation |
| Yvonne Maureen Bishop | 9/12/07 | 293 | 7/1/08 | 6/28/09 | Revoked |
| Ronald James Cruz | 11/1/06 | 286 | 8/14/07 | 6/2/09 | Surrendered |
| Bryan Philip Stalsworth | 7/17/08 | 285 | 4/28/09 | 10/30/09 | Revoked |
| Gail Landress Stell | 9/6/07 | 284 | 6/16/08 | 12/17/09 | Surrendered |
| Tina Marie Coleman | 8/14/07 | 250 | 4/20/08 | 11/10/08 | Probation |
| Patricia Jean Valinoti | 1/3/08 | 249 | 9/8/08 | 6/22/09 | Surrendered |
| Laura Lee Carson | 2/14/08 | 239 | 10/10/08 | 9/30/09 | Surrendered |
| Michael Duane Neeley | 4/8/02 | 238 | 12/2/02 | 7/3/03 | Surrendered |
| Susan Kay Morrison | 6/1/07 | 238 | 1/25/08 | 12/29/08 | Surrendered |
| Nancy E. Vanciel | 10/30/01 | 224 | 6/11/02 | 2/10/04 | Probation |
| David Dorman | 9/14/07 | 219 | 4/20/08 | 10/5/08 | Revoked |
| Melissa M. Sepulveda | 11/21/07 | 216 | 6/24/08 | 1/2/09 | Revoked |
| Chantel Michael Smith | 12/29/06 | 214 | 7/31/07 | 7/8/09 | Revoked |
| Melony J. Currier | 9/11/06 | 196 | 3/26/07 | 4/28/08 | Suspension/Probation |
| Jonna L. Biswell | 9/25/08 | 194 | 4/7/09 | 10/30/09 | Revoked |
| Karin Nicole Perez | 12/15/05 | 193 | 6/26/06 | 1/15/07 | Suspension/Probation |
| Anna W. Huang | 11/30/06 | 186 | 6/4/07 | 8/25/08 | Revoked |
| Steven Ross Phillips | 4/7/07 | 171 | 9/25/07 | 3/20/09 | Suspension/Probation |
| Johanna Marie Weber | 4/8/09 | 142 | 8/28/09 | Accusation Pending | |
| Robin Jeanne Masse | 12/2/08 | 141 | 4/22/09 | Accusation Pending | |
| Timothy Dale Aycock | 7/9/04 | 137 | 11/23/04 | 7/18/05 | Revoked |
| Michele Browne | 4/3/07 | 133 | 8/14/07 | 6/15/08 | Suspension/Probation |
| Nicholas Paul Allen | 2/23/07 | 124 | 6/27/07 | 11/18/07 | Revoked |
| Heather Megan Bohannon | 10/20/08 | 120 | 2/17/09 | 9/10/09 | Revoked |
| Jennifer Renee Quijada | 1/3/07 | 105 | 4/18/07 | 7/31/08 | Surrendered |
| Mona Lee Williams | 9/30/08 | 104 | 1/12/09 | 7/8/09 | Revoked |
| Catherine Kohl | 4/4/06 | 101 | 7/14/06 | 7/12/07 | Revoked |
| Tawana La Tecia Delce | 9/8/08 | 93 | 12/10/08 | 9/30/09 | Surrendered |
| Rebecca Marie Muniz | 11/20/07 | 79 | 2/7/08 | 10/16/08 | Surrendered |
| Diane Gail Baker | 3/8/02 | 68 | 5/15/02 | 9/19/03 | Probation |
| David John Lopez | 7/31/09 | 55 | 9/24/09 | Accusation Pending |
Data last updated Dec. 26, 2009
Please note there are several limitations to the database:
- This database includes nurses who faced disciplinary action between 2002 and September 2009, as well as any subsequent actions against these nurses. .
- Employers and patients seeking verification of a nurse’s license should use the Web site of the Board of Registered Nursing.
- Multiple nurses may have the same name, but each has a unique license number.
- The information on the database is based on the Web site of the Board of Registered Nursing and state documents. In some cases, the Web site and documents conflict; in such cases, reporters used dates included in the board’s documents.
- Documents for some cases are missing from the site in whole or in part.
- The database does not include discipline against nurses meted out as a condition of being licensed. Such discipline is only included if the nurse subsequently faced board action.
- The grounds listed for discipline in this database are based on the board’s public allegations against the nurses. Because accusations are sometimes written in an unclear or inconsistent manner, reporters did not try to guess the intent.
- This database includes discipline against some nurses who have subsequently died. The board has removed many of these nurses from its Web site. They are included here because they faced disciplinary action during the period examined.
- The Los Angeles Times and ProPublica have conducted a joint investigation into the failed oversight of California's health professionals. In July 2009, we reported that the Board of Registered Nursing took more than three years, on average, to investigate and discipline errant nurses. It failed to act against nurses whose misconduct already had been thoroughly documented and sanctioned by others. And the board gave probation to hundreds of nurses – ordering monitoring and work restrictions – then failed to crack down as many landed in trouble again and again. Read our complete coverage here.
Ask the reporters about the series: Email QandA@propublica.org
- California Sanctioned Nurse Database - The Los Angeles Times and ProPublica compiled a database of nearly 2,400 California nurses who have been sanctioned since 2002. Search the records of nurses who have faced disciplinary proceedings and the circumstances of allegations against them.
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Follow Thomas's case -
Follow Kinney's case -
Follow Reed's case -
Follow Smart's case -
- Chart: California takes far longer to discipline registered nurses than many other large states, according to a review by the Los Angeles Times and ProPublica. Click graphic to see the full details.
- Interactive Chart: About the Board - The California Board of Registered Nursing oversees the education, licensure, practice standards and discipline of the state's 350,000 nurses.
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- Spencer Sullivan - In the prime of his life, Spencer Sullivan was rendered a quadriplegic. It took the nursing board more than six years later to revoke the license of a nurse involved in his care. Read more | LA Times Audio Slideshow
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- Caitlin Greenwell - Caitlin Greenwell's family alleges that she suffers from cerberal palsy because nurses neglected to monitor her during her birth. LA Times Audio Slideshow
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- Dr. Iraj Zandi – During a surgery, Dr. Iraj Zandi discovered that a nurse had stolen painkiller drugs intended for his patient. He found out later that the nurse had been accused of pilfering drugs from a previous employer. Read more...
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- Veronica Glaubach – Veronica Glaubach’s nurses missed crucial signs of a life-threatening complication during and after childbirth, her family alleged. She died. The nursing board absolved the nurses. Read more...
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