Summaries of Regents Actions
On Professional Misconduct and Discipline*
February 1996
Chiropractic - Dentistry - Engineering and Land Surveying - Nursing - Pharmacy - Physical Therapy - Podiatry - Public Accountancy - Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
Chiropractic
Michael David Rand, Rego Park, NY
Profession: Chiropractor; Lic. No. 002685; Cal.
No. 15840
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 1 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation 1 year, $4,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
submitting numerous insurance claim forms for chiropractic services
for a patient when no services were rendered.
Harris Cohen, Middle Island, NY
Profession: Chiropractor; Lic. No. 022362; Cal.
No. 15849
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation 2 years, $5,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
having a conviction for mail fraud, a Federal crime.
Dentistry
Leo Bernard Szyferblatt, Goshen, NY
Profession: Dentist; Lic. No. 036950; Cal. No. 13490
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Revocation, $15,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of charges that
he informed a patient that he had provided a permanent bridge when
he had provided a temporary bridge, submitted a fraudulent insurance
claim, made a false report, and failed to respond within the time
limit to a State Education Department request for a patient record.
Larry Stuart Waldman, Middletown, NY
Profession: Dentist; Lic. No. 028508; Cal. No. 14081
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Censure and Reprimand, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of a charge of
wilfully verbally abusing a patient.
Mark I. Kaufman, Brooklyn, NY
Profession: Dentist; Lic. No. 038487; Cal. No. 14925
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Probation 1 year, $1,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of
failure to detect, diagnose, and inform a patient of a periodontal
condition.
William J. Savran, Jamaica Estates, NY
Profession: Dentist; Lic. No. 029032; Cal. No. 15706
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 24 month suspension, execution of last 20
months of suspension stayed, probation 2 years.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
having a conviction for mail fraud, a Federal crime.
Arthur Zuckerman, New York, NY
Profession: Dentist; Lic. No. 022123; Cal. No. 15850
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation 2 years, $3,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
failing to confirm that the information submitted to insurance companies
was accurate.
Aaron Weiss, Far Rockaway, NY
Profession: Dentist; Lic. No. 021349; Cal. No. 15899
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Probation 1 year, $1,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest a charge that
he indicated to a patient that there was no need for periodontal
treatment when he had not thoroughly examined the patient.
Professional Engineering and Land Surveying
Howard Russell Schlieder, Ithaca, NY
Profession: Land Surveyor; Lic. No. 043780; Cal.
No. 15803
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Censure and Reprimand, $1,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to charges of failing
to properly search county records for a land survey and affixing
his name and seal to a map he did not prepare without making a written
evaluation of said work.
Nursing
Debbie J. Van Norstrand, Sound Beach, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 417294; Cal. No. 11872
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Revocation.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of charges of
having little knowledge or concern for the status of patients under
her care on more than one occasion, and failing to maintain accurate
records.
Deborah A. Casale, Miller Place, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 313593; Cal. No. 12734
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 1 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, required to successfully complete a certain course, probation
1 year.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of a charge of
verbally abusing a patient and verbally and physically abusing another
patient.
Annie Jean Murdoch a/k/a Jean M. Ewing a/k/a Jean Ewing, Churchville, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 216409; Cal. No. 15721
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Revocation.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of having a conviction
for the crime of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D Felony.
John M. Brenton, New York, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 306268; Cal. No. 14332
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Indefinite suspension for no less than 18
months and until successfully participates in a course of therapy
and treatment, probation 2 years to commence upon termination of
suspension.
Summary: Licensee did not contest charges of falsifying
a record, writing prescriptions, unscheduled visiting of a patient
at home, failing to leave a patient's home when requested, and giving
medications to a patient that had been prescribed to another patient.
Karen M. Baran a/k/a Karen Marie Stevens, Auburn, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 195008;
Cal. No. 14749
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation 2 years, 25 hours of public service.
Summary: Licensee admitted that she is unable to
successfully defend against the charge of falsely indicating that
a glucose test had been performed on a patient.
Virginia E. Swift a/k/a Virginia E. Lippe, Baton Rouge, LA
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered
Professional Nurse; Lic. Nos. 226208, 451435; Cal. Nos. 14918, 14919
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation 2 years.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
incorrectly transcribing a physician's order, committing a medication
administration error, inaccurately charting the medication administration,
failing to notify the patient's physician of the error, and failing
to complete an incident report related to the medication error.
Colleen Marie Mahoney, Hamburg, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered
Professional Nurse; Lic. Nos. 221659, 445677; Cal. Nos. 15266, 15267
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation 2 years.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
falsifying hospital records to cover up a medication administration
error.
Laurel Ann West, Ogdensburg, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 401325; Cal. No. 15330;
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996 (see also December
1997)
Action: 1 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation one year.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
having been found guilty by the Commissioner of Health to be in violation
of Article 33 of the Public Health Law pertaining to controlled substances.
Angela Jeannean Runions, Syracuse, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 441206; Cal. No. 15418
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation 2 years to commence upon return to practice in
New York State, $250 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
making four medication errors/omissions and did not contest a charge
that she took a sample drug from a physician's office without authorization.
Alison Abrosh a/k/a Alison L. Abrosh, Far Rockaway, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered
Professional Nurse; Lic. Nos. 157583, 348564; Cal. Nos. 15475, 15476
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation 2 years, $1,000 fine, 50 hours of public service.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
fraudulently obtaining the non-controlled drug Levothyroxine on five
occasions.
Beatrice Ukuta, Bronx, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 246596; Cal. No. 15626
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 1 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation 1 year.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
committing two medication administration errors.
Jane W. Morgan, Hamburg, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 064920;
Cal. No. 15763
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Suspension until successfully participates
in a course of therapy and treatment, upon termination of suspension,
probation 2 years to commence if and when return to practice of nursing
in New York State.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
having been found by the Commissioner of Health to be in violation
of Article 33 of the Public Health Law pertaining to controlled substances.
Robert S. Jones, Sherburne, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 276107; Cal. No. 15776
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Partial suspension in area of medication
administration until successfully completes course in medication
administration, probation 2 years.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to charge of committing
numerous medication administration errors.
Kathleen A. Holler a/k/a Kathleen A. Tiedeman a/k/a Kathleen A. Mayer a/k/a Kathleen A. Beitz, No. Tonawanda, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered
Professional Nurse; Lic. Nos. 175037, 404494; Cal. Nos. 15793, 15794
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation 2 years, $1,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charges of
having a conviction for the crime of Forgery in the Third Degree,
a Class A Misdemeanor; having been found by the Commissioner of Health
to be in violation of Article 33 of the Public Health Law pertaining
to controlled substances; and submitting a false application for
employment.
John Robert Schaffer, Tupper Lake, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered
Professional Nurse; Lic. Nos. 200419, 446762; Cal. Nos. 15809, 15810
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 1 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation 1 year, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
patient abandonment.
Barbara Dolland Landa, Avon Park, FL
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 163568; Cal. No. 15841
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Suspension until fit to practice, upon termination
of suspension, probation 2 years.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
over-medicating a patient in her care.
Michele Therese Anderson, Augusta, GA
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 235881;
Cal. No. 15886
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 1 year suspension, upon service of suspension,
probation 3 years to commence if and when she returns to practice
of nursing in New York State.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
stealing a patient's credit card.
Pharmacy
Kenneth C. Brown, Brooklyn, NY
Profession: Pharmacist; Lic. No. 029443; Cal. No.
14419
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996 (see also September
2000)
Action: Probation 1 year, $600 fine.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of charges of
failing to employ an auxiliary system to document prescriptions when
the computerized prescription system was not functioning, offering
for sale or holding for sale outdated drugs, failing to properly
identify generic products dispensed, maintaining a cluttered prescription
counter and dirty shelving and drug stock, holding for sale drugs
that were misbranded, and failing to prominently display the full
name of the registrant on an exterior sign.
Corona Drugs, Inc., 353 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11216
Profession: Pharmacy; Reg. No. 018024; Cal. No.
14420
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Revocation, $5,000 fine.
Summary: Retail Pharmacy was found guilty of charges
that it failed to surrender the certificate of registration when
vacating the premises and failed to make appropriate arrangements
for disposal of prescription drugs, was open for one-half hour without
supervision by a licensed pharmacist, failed to employ an auxiliary
system to document prescriptions when the main system was not functioning,
offered for sale or held for sale outdated drugs, failed to properly
identify generic products dispensed, maintained a cluttered prescription
counter and dirty shelving and drug stock, held for sale drugs that
were misbranded, and failed to prominently display the full name
of the registrant on an exterior sign.
Riaz Hussain a/k/a Riaz B. Hussain, Brooklyn, NY
Profession: Pharmacist; Lic. No. 030195; Cal. No.
15320
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 2 year suspension, execution of last 18
months of suspension stayed, probation for last 18 months, 100 hours
of public service.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of the charge
of having a conviction for the crime of Conspiracy in the Fourth
Degree, a Class E Felony.
Harry Krawitz, Williamsville, NY
Profession: Pharmacist; Lic. No. 019552; Cal. No.
15574
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Censure and Reprimand, $1,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
having been found by the Commissioner of Health to be in violation
of Article 33 of the Public Health Law pertaining to controlled substances.
Sana U. Khan, Bethpage, NY
Profession: Pharmacist Lic. No. 031746; Cal. No.
15591
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation 2 years, $2,500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
having been found by the Commissioner of Health to be in violation
of Article 33 of the Public Health Law pertaining to controlled substances.
Sana Saieda Enterprises, Ltd. d/b/a Port Chemists, 69 Main Street, Port Washington, NY 11050
Profession: Pharmacy; Reg. No. 019034; Cal. No.
15592
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation 2 years, $2,500 fine.
Summary: Retail Pharmacy admitted guilt to a charge
that it failed to detect and prevent the diversion of Demerol.
Michelle Monturo, Commack, NY
Profession: Pharmacist; Lic. No. 040505; Cal. No.
15636
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Censure and Reprimand, $1,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
having been found by the Commissioner of Health to be in violation
of Article 33 of the Public Health Law pertaining to controlled substances.
Elizabeth A. Lavigne, Dalton, PA
Profession: Pharmacist; Lic. No. 036577; Cal. No.
15802
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Censure and Reprimand, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of
dispensing the wrong non-controlled substance.
Susan H. Torns, Commack, NY
Profession: Pharmacist Lic. No. 030826; Cal. No.
15861
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 1 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation 1 year, $750 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
incorrectly labeling vials, dispensing the wrong strength of a drug
and failing to identify generic drugs.
James J. Gallagher, Marcy, NY
Profession: Pharmacist; Lic. No. 023478; Cal. No.
15700
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
having a conviction for the crime of Sodomy in the Fourth Degree,
a Class E Felony.
Physical Therapy
Vance Levin, Middletown, NY
Profession: Physical Therapist Assistant; Cert.
No. 000939; Cal. No. 15584;
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Revocation.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of the charge
of having a conviction for the crime of Attempted Sexual Abuse in
the First Degree, a Class E Felony.
Marcia Hewett a/k/a Marcia Francisco, Jackson Heights, NY
Profession: Physical Therapist Assistant; Lic. No.
001265; Cal. No. 15870
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 1 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation 1 year, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to the charge of
having a conviction for the crime of Making a Punishable False Written
Statement, a Class A Misdemeanor.
Podiatry
James M. Richardson, Paterson, NJ
Profession: Podiatrist; Lic. No. 003975; Cal. No.
14693
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996 (see also December
1999)
Action: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation 2 years, $3,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to charges of ordering
tests and treatments not warranted by the condition of the patient
and having a conviction for the crime of Assault in the Third Degree,
a Class A Misdemeanor.
Public Accountancy
Denis Lustig a/k/a Denis Leslie Lustig a/k/a Dennis Lustig, Marlboro, NJ
Profession: Certified Public Accountancy; Lic.
(Cert.) No. 030251; Cal. No. 15376
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: Revocation, $2,500 fine.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of the charge
of having a conviction for the Federal crime of Racketeering.
Gerald Joseph Costabile,Brooklyn, NY
Profession: Certified Public Accountant; Lic. No.
031969; Cal. No. 15666
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 3 year suspension, probation 5 years, 100
hours of public service.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to the charge of
having a conviction for the Federal Crime of Mail Fraud.
Speech Language Pathology and Audiology
Patricia A. Nowak, Campbell Hall, NY
Profession: Speech Language Pathologist; Lic. No.
003476; Cal. No. 15672
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension
stayed, probation 2 years.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to the charge of
having a conviction for the crime of Driving While Intoxicated, an
unclassified Misdemeanor.
Gerald N. Greenstein, Jamestown, NY
Profession: Audiologist; Lic. No. 000268; Cal. No.
15737
Regents Action Date: February 7, 1996
Action: 2 year suspension, execution of last 21
months of suspension stayed, probation for last 21 months, $4,000
fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted guilt to a charge of
having a conviction for the crimes of Grand Larceny in the Third
Degree, a Class D Felony, and twenty-eight counts of Offering a False
Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a Class E Felony.
* Terms under which this information is provided.
For further information: dplsdsu@mail.nysed.gov
