Summaries of Regents Actions
On Professional Misconduct and Discipline*
December 2008
Chiropractic - Dentistry - Nursing - Pharmacy - Social Work - Veterinary Medicine
Chiropractic
Clifford Joseph Cozolino, Pelham, NY
Profession: Chiropractor; Lic. No. 005683; Cal.
No. 24211
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008 (see also April
1994)
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the allegations
that he committed non-therapeutic acts of a sexual nature while
treating a female patient.
Charles John Giersberg, Syosset, NY
Profession: Chiropractor; Lic. No. 004348; Cal.
No. 24124
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action:Found guilty of professional misconduct;
Penalty: 24 month suspension, execution of last 23 months of suspension
stayed, probation 24 months, 50 hours public service.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of having
been convicted of the crime of Failing to File a Tax Return, a
class A misdemeanor.
Michael Alan Silverstein, New York, NY
Profession: Chiropractor; Lic. No. 005005; Cal.
No. 24125
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: 1 month actual suspension, 23 month stayed
suspension, 2 years probation, $5,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having
been convicted of Insurance Fraud in the 5th Degree.
Dentistry
Terry Edward Grant, Hempstead, NY
Profession: Dentist; Lic. No. 042150; Cal. No.
23931
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008 (see also March
2000, March 2009 and November 2010)
Action: Found guilty of professional misconduct;
Penalty: 2 year suspension, execution of last 21 months of suspension
stayed, probation 2 years, 100 hours public service.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of having
been convicted of the crimes of Falsifying Business Records in
the 1st Degree, a class E felony, 2 counts of Grand Larceny in
the 3rd Degree, a class D felony, Scheme to Defraud in the 1st
Degree, a class E felony and Grand Larceny in the 4th Degree, a
class E felony. Application for reconsideration granted March 2009.
Caroline Ann Itjen, Douglaston, NY
Profession: Dental Hygienist; Lic. No. 019097;
Cal. No. 24025
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation,
$1,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having
been convicted of Stalking in the 3rd Degree.
David Michael Muench, Endicott, NY
Profession: Dentist; Lic. No. 041451; Cal. No.
24099
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: 5 year stayed suspension, 5 years probation,
$1,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge
of having been found guilty of professional misconduct in Pennsylvania.
Nursing
Juliet Carol Chin, Queens Village, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered
Professional Nurse; Lic. Nos. 272366, 560506; Cal. Nos. 24144,
24145
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: 2 year stayed suspension, 2 years probation,
$500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest charges of
incorrectly filling out a request form for the controlled substance
morphine and then administering the incorrect dose.
Jacquelyne Marie Goppert, Albion, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No.
269359; Cal. No. 24165
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: Indefinite actual suspension for no less than
3 months and until fit to practice, upon termination of suspension
2 years probation to commence upon return to practice.
Summary: Licensee admitted to charges of having
been convicted of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in
the 2nd Degree and Driving While Intoxicated.
Paula Jean Lawton, Gowanda, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No.
278674; Cal. No. 24120
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation,
$500 fine.
Summary: Licenseedid not contest charges of
having been convicted of Attempted Petit Larceny and of failing
to report a criminal conviction on her license application.
Clemence B. Mosher, Westhampton Beach, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 330884; Cal. No. 24129
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: 5 year stayed suspension, 5 years probation,
$500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to charges of having
been convicted of 3 separate incidents of Driving While Intoxicated,
unclassified misdemeanors; one incident of Driving While Ability
Impaired by Drugs, an unclassified misdemeanor; and one incident
of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th Degree,
a class A misdemeanor.
Jacqueline A. Pajuelo, Glen Cove, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No.
261411; Cal. No. 24041
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008 (see also February 2011)
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: 2 year stayed suspension, 2 years probation,
$500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest charges of
stealing prescription forms from a physician and forging his name
on a prescription in an attempt to fill one for the controlled
substance Tylenol with Codeine.
Alicia Ponen a/k/a Alicia Ronen a/k/a Alicia Sambhu, Valley Stream, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered
Professional Nurse; Lic. Nos. 253615, 548248; Cal. Nos. 23759,
24077
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action:Found guilty of professional misconduct;
Penalty: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension stayed, probation
2 years.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of having
been convicted of Attempted Petit Larceny, a class B misdemeanor
and Petit Larceny, a class A misdemeanor.
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 510338; Cal. No. 24170
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: 1 month actual suspension, 23 month stayed
suspension, 2 years probation, $2,500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest charges that
she committed patient neglect by leaving residents unattended,
failing to document the administration of a medication, and documenting
that she performed a finger stick which she did not perform.
Cheryl Ingrid Vaughn a/k/a Cheryl Vaughn Griffith, Queens Village, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered
Professional Nurse; Lic. Nos. 267272, 546388; Cal. Nos. 24139,
24140
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: 1 month actual suspension, 11 month stayed
suspension, 1 year probation.
Summary: Licensee did not contest charges of
failing to administer the non-controlled medication Synthroid to
three residents and altering the medication administration record
of two of said residents to falsely indicate that she had administered
said medication to said residents.
Christina Marie Vitale, Uniondale, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 569484; Cal. No. 24106
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: 1 month actual suspension, 23 month stayed
suspension, 2 years probation.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge
of administering the non-controlled substance Marcaine with Fentanyl
to a patient when the physician's order called for plain marcaine
to be administered.
Jeffrey Leroy Wisley, Batavia, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No.
278758; Cal. No. 24150
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: 2 year stayed suspension, 2 years probation,
$500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to charges of having
been convicted of Attempted Assault in the 2nd Degree and Aggravated
Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the 3rd Degree.
Pharmacy
CVS Albany, L.L.C. d/b/a CVS Pharmacy, 63-57 Fresh Pond Road, Ridgewood, NY
Profession: Pharmacy; Reg. No. 022578; Cal. No.
23368
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: $10,000 fine payable within 2 months.
Summary: Registrant admitted to charges of willful
failure to notify the Pharmacy Board of a change in supervising
pharmacist and to have a licensed pharmacist having personal supervision
of the pharmacy.
Genovese Drug Stores, Inc. d/b/a Rite Aid Pharmacy, 31-09 Ditmars Blvd., Long Island City, NY
Profession: Pharmacy; Reg. No. 014873; Cal. No.
24155
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: $10,000 fine payable within 2 months.
Summary: Registrant admitted to the charge of
willful failure to notify the Pharmacy Board of a change in supervising
pharmacist and to have a licensed pharmacist having personal supervision
of the pharmacy.
Elizabeth L. Johnson a/k/a Elizabeth Lange, Rochester, NY
Profession: Pharmacist; Lic. No. 039471; Cal.
No. 24128
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008 (see also December
2005 and February
2007)
Action: Application to surrender license
granted.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of practicing
the profession of pharmacy while her license to do so was suspended.
Profession: Pharmacist; Lic. No. 028938; Cal.
No. 23273
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008 (see also July
1997 and November
2004)
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: 3 month actual suspension, 21 month stayed
suspension, 2 years probation, $2,500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to charges of routinely
failing to identify a generic product on a prescription by writing
the name of the manufacturer and distributor, if different, on
the prescription and on the label; failing to maintain an updated
drug and retail price list or to post a sign informing people that
such a list was available; failing to maintain a prescription filing
system with controlled and non-controlled prescriptions separated; failing to package drugs in child resistant containers or to maintain
records that documented that the patient had requested otherwise;
and, violating the terms of licensee’s probation by engaging in
the aforesaid professional misconduct.
Social Work
Rhonn D. Gilchrist, Tonawanda, NY
Profession: Licensed Clinical Social Worker;
Lic. No. 031719; Cal. No. 24193
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge
of having been convicted of Health Care Fraud.
Deborah Pierce Roman, Rochester, NY
Profession: Licensed Master Social Worker; Lic.
No. 044682; Cal. No. 23927
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: 1 year actual suspension, upon termination
of suspension 2 years probation to commence upon return to practice.
Summary: Licensee admitted to charges of having
been convicted of Burglary in the 3rd Degree and obtaining a license
fraudulently.
Veterinary Medicine
Jane Whallon Benson, Bainbridge, NY
Profession: Veterinarian; Lic. No. 001737; Cal.
No. 24197
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008 (see also December
2002)
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge
of having failed to maintain a patient record.
Catherine Louise Ralston, Plattsburgh, NY
Profession: Veterinarian; Lic. No. 006384; Cal.
No. 23419
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation,
$1,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge
of injecting barium into a canine’s lungs.
Stanley Weissman, New York, NY
Profession: Veterinarian; Lic. No. 002175; Cal.
No. 23517
Regents Action Date: December 16, 2008 (see also November
1994)
Action: Application for consent order granted;
Penalty agreed upon: 3 month actual suspension, 9 month stayed
suspension, 1 year probation, $2,500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest charges of
misdiagnosing a cat as suffering from diabetes and rendering improper
treatment to said cat subsequent to said diagnosis.
* Terms under which this information is provided.
For further information: dplsdsu@mail.nysed.gov
