Summaries of Regents Actions
On Professional Misconduct and Discipline*
January 2004
Chiropractic - Dentistry - Nursing - Pharmacy - Podiatry - Psychology - Public Accountancy - Social Work
Chiropractic
Gary N. Olson, Commack, NY
Profession: Chiropractor; Lic. No. 009393; Cal.
No. 21153
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension stayed, probation
2 years, $750 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having
been convicted of Driving While Under the Influence of Alcohol.
Michael Christopher Shaffer, Philmont, NY
Profession: Chiropractor; Lic. No. 003671; Cal.
No. 21190
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension stayed, probation
2 years, $1,500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of
unlawfully delegating the duties of a chiropractor to an unlicensed
person.
Dentistry
Edwin Andrews, Rogers, AZ
Profession: Dentist; Lic. No. 023886; Cal. No. 21268
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having
been found guilty by the duly authorized professional disciplinary
agency of another state of over-prescribing controlled substances
for non-dental reasons.
John A. Behrmann, Clifton Park, NY
Profession: Dentist; Lic. No. 022679; Cal. No. 20427
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: Suspension for no less than 1 year and until terminated
as set forth in consent order application - upon termination of suspension,
probation 2 years to commence upon return to practice.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of
extracting teeth that were intended to be used as abutments for a
lower partial and failing to follow the referred treatment plan.
Michael Eugene Novy, New York, NY
Profession: Dentist; Lic. No. 048016; Cal. No. 21086
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 1 year suspension, execution of suspension stayed, probation
1 year, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of failing
to maintain, for at least six years, a record for a patient that
accurately reflected the evaluation and treatment for said patient.
Robert Tallering, Highland, NY
Profession: Dentist; Lic. No. 034582; Cal. No. 21149
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension stayed, probation
2 years, $7,500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of
willfully filing a false report.
Robert J. Tallering, D.D.S., P.C., 433 Route 9W, P.O. Box 1534, Highland, NY
Profession: Dentist; Cal. No. 21154
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension stayed, probation
2 years.
Summary: Respondent did not contest the charge of
willfully filing a false report.
Scott Turkewitz, Clifton Forge, VA
Profession: Dentist; Lic. No. 043290; Cal. No. 21162
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 24 month suspension, execution of last 21 months of
suspension stayed, probation 2 years.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having
been found guilty of professional misconduct by the Virginia Board
of Dentistry.
Nursing
Lynne E. Clough, Schenectady, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 161531;
Cal. No. 20718
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Found guilty of professional misconduct;
Penalty: Revocation.
Summary: Licensee was found to be guilty of having
been convicted of Forgery in the Second Degree, a class D felony.
Robin A. Curtis, Rochester, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 315104; Cal. No. 20942
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: Suspension until terminated as set forth in consent
order application - upon termination of suspension, probation 1 year
to commence upon return to practice.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of
working while physically impaired due to a brain tumor resulting
in requesting aide to provide treatment; inadequate documentation;
and recording a home visit that was not done.
Sophia Abraham David, Glen Oaks, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 244729;
Cal. No. 21183
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 2 year suspension, execution of last 22 months of suspension
stayed, probation 2 years, $1,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of
inserting a gastrostomy tube in a nursing home resident in the absence
of a physician's order and documenting false information in the medical
record of said resident.
Leslie A. Dudek, Rochester, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 254916;
Cal. No. 20352
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Found guilty of professional misconduct;
Penalty: 24 month suspension, execution of last 23 months of suspension
stayed, probation 23 months to commence upon return to practice.
Summary: Licensee was found to be guilty of having
been convicted of Petit Larceny, a class A misdemeanor.
Frank Joseph Gilberti, Sauquoit, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 401390; Cal. No. 21073
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004 (see also December
1998)
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 2 year suspension, execution of last 16 months of suspension
stayed, probation 2 years to commence upon return to practice, $1,000
fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of
failing to lay a patient flat during removal of a CVP line.
Yvette Jasnith Henry, Bronx, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 434710; Cal. No. 21127
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 1 year suspension, execution of suspension stayed, probation
1 year, $1,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of failing
to follow a physician's order to change a wound dressing on a patient
and documenting in the patient's record that said dressing was changed.
Sharon McCaffrey, Seaford, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 265781; Cal. No. 21095
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension stayed, probation
2 years, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of
making several transcription errors, inappropriately restraining
a patient, and pinching a patient's nose to force him to swallow
medication.
Samuel Monroe, Virginia Beach, VA
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered
Professional Nurse; Lic. Nos. 057766, 237046; Cal. Nos. 21071, 21072
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004 (see also July
1994)
Action: Application to surrender licenses granted.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having
been convicted of Bankruptcy Fraud and Making a False Statement.
Marilyn Cheree Peters-Burton, Mobile, AL
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 267967;
Cal. No. 21111
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 1 year suspension, execution of suspension stayed, probation
1 year to commence upon return to practice, $250 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of erroneously
administering seven medications to the wrong patient.
Anita J. Popluhar, Kirkville, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 205570;
Cal. No. 20545
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: Partial suspension in certain area until terminated
as set forth in consent order application, probation 1 year, $500
fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of medication
administration and documentation errors.
Kimm C. Riesel, Mohawk, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 237211;
Cal. No. 21177
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 1 year suspension, execution of suspension stayed, probation
1 year, $250 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having
been convicted of Falsifying Business Records in the 2nd Degree.
Kathleen V. Summers, Marcy, NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 256414; Cal. No. 20875
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 1 year suspension, execution of last 9 months of suspension
stayed, probation 1 year, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of filing
a false report.
Ellen Elizabeth Torrey-Blair, Bronx, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered
Professional Nurse; Lic. Nos. 082811, 463268; Cal. Nos. 21125, 21126
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 1 year suspension, execution of suspension stayed, probation
1 year, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of failing
to follow a physician's order to change a wound dressing on a patient
and documenting in the patient's record that said dressing was changed.
Audra Lynne VanDusen a/k/a Audra Lynne Ennett, Rome, NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 261487;
Cal. No. 20855
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension stayed, probation
2 years, $750 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of
inaccurate record keeping.
Therese Williams, Fairbanks, AK
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic.
No. 471432; Cal. No. 21265
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having
been found guilty by the duly authorized professional disciplinary
agency of another state of repeatedly obtaining controlled substances
by fraud.
Pharmacy
Clunie Bernard, Bedford, NY; Yonkers, NY
Profession: Pharmacist; Lic. No. 038410; Cal. No.
20643
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Found guilty of professional misconduct;
Penalty: Revocation.
Summary: Licensee was found to be guilty of having
been convicted of Intentional Murder in the Second Degree.
Bruce E. Martin, Liverpool, NY
Profession: Pharmacist; Lic. No. 034831; Cal. No.
21131
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: Censure and Reprimand, probation 1 year, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of
misbranding a prescription.
Jeffrey Stein, Middle Island, NY
Profession: Pharmacist; Lic. No. 029690; Cal. No.
21267
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: Suspension, but in no event for less than 1 year and
until terminated as set forth in consent order application - upon
termination of suspension, probation 2 years to commence upon return
to practice.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having
been convicted of Aggravated Harassment in the 2nd Degree, a class
A misdemeanor.
David Michael Wickers, Brooklyn, NY
Profession: Pharmacist; Lic. No. 036634; Cal. No.
20670
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Found guilty of professional misconduct;
Penalty: Suspension until terminated as set forth in Regents Review
Committee report - upon termination of suspension, probation 2 years.
Summary: Licensee was found to be guilty of having
been convicted of Driving While Intoxicated, a felony.
Podiatry
Suzanne Haritatos-Semko, Richmond, IN
Profession: Podiatrist; Lic. No. 003652; Cal. No.
21222
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 1 year suspension, probation 2 years.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having
been found guilty by the Indiana Board of Podiatry of professional
misconduct.
Daniel D. Semko, Richmond, IN
Profession: Podiatrist; Lic. No. 003517; Cal. No.
21221
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 1 year suspension, probation 2 years.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having
been found guilty by the Indiana Board of Podiatry of professional
misconduct.
Psychology
Melvin I. Fishman, Great Neck, NY
Profession: Psychologist; Lic. No. 001448; Cal.
No. 21182
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004 (see also July
1999)
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of
negligent handling of the transference and counter transference between
the licensee and patient.
Public Accountancy
Harry Stern a/k/a Harry L. Stern, Suffern, NY
Profession: Certified Public Accountant; Lic. No.
037375; Cal. No. 20588
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Found guilty of professional misconduct;
Penalty: Revocation.
Summary: Licensee was found to be guilty of having
been convicted of Bank Fraud, a felony.
Social Work
Todd Patrick Kennedy, Rochester, NY
Profession: Certified Social Worker; Lic. No. 058568;
Cal. No. 21112
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 24 month suspension, execution for the last 21 months
of suspension stayed, probation 3 years, $2,500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of forging
the signatures of psychiatrists to completed patient treatment plans.
Katherine F. Robert, Vestal, NY
Profession: Certified Social Worker; Lic. No. 060298;
Cal. No. 20978
Regents Action Date: January 12, 2004
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty
agreed upon: 1 year suspension, execution of last 6 months of suspension
stayed, probation 2 years to commence upon return to practice, $500
fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charges of
failing to maintain patient records and moral unfitness in the practice
of social work.
* Terms under which this information is provided.
For further information: dplsdsu@mail.nysed.gov
