Searching for Summaries
Summary information of disciplinary actions taken against licensees, professional practice business entities, and pharmacy establishments by the Board of Regents in New York State since January 1, 1994, can be searched below by year, month, and profession. You may also search for an individual’s, entity’s or establishment’s status, and any applicable enforcement actions, with our Online Verification Search. Applicable disciplinary information will be listed under the Enforcement Actions tab within the search results.
In New York State, professional misconduct in all the professions (except that by physicians, physician assistants and specialist assistants, which is investigated and prosecuted by the Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC) of the Department of Health) is investigated and prosecuted by the New York State Education Department's Office of the Professions. The Board of Regents, which also has responsibility for licensure in all the professions, is responsible for the final disposition of all disciplinary matters except those handled by OPMC.
Information on pre-1994 Regents Actions is available by phone: 518-474-3817, ext. 330; fax: 518-473-0578; e-mail: dplsdsu@nysed.gov, or by writing to the Office of the Professions.
By reviewing this material, the user accepts the terms, conditions and limitations under which this information is supplied.
January 2024
Nursing
CORY BLOOM BURNS; HAMBURG NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 663418; Cal. No. 33927
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Indefinite actual suspension until fit to practice, upon return to practice, 2 years probation.
Summary: Licensee admitted to charges of having been convicted of Attempted Petit Larceny, a class B misdemeanor; Attempted Assault, 3rd Degree, a class B misdemeanor; and Petit Larceny, a class A misdemeanor.
DAVID HAROLD CROWLEY (A/K/A CROWLEY DAVID H.); BRAINTREE MA
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 655849; Cal. No. 33977
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of using illegal substances.
MICHELLE CUFFEE (A/K/A LEVI MICHELLE); NORFOLK VA
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 225170; Cal. No. 33985
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of Virginia discipline.
SASHANNA CHRISTINA DE FREITAS; BROOKLYN NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 327358; Cal. No. 33930
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 month actual suspension, 23 months stayed suspension, 2 years probation.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Petit Larceny, a class A misdemeanor.
OSKAR VICTORINO DEHITTA; ATLANTA GA
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 506818; Cal. No. 33801
Action: Application to surrender licenses granted.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of, in the State of California, inappropriately touching two patients recovering from back surgery.
OSKAR VICTORINO DEHITTA; JERSEY CITY NJ
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 240739; Cal. No. 33800
Action: Application to surrender licenses granted.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of, in the State of California, inappropriately touching two patients recovering from back surgery.
FRANCINE PAULETTE FRANCIOLI; WILSON NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 289365; Cal. No. 32321
Action: Found guilty of violation of probation; Penalty: Indefinite actual suspension for no less than 2 months and until completion of coursework in ethics, 2 years probation.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of violating probationary terms imposed by Regents Vote and Order Number 29696.
DONNA E HASIL; ASTORIA NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 324887; Cal. No. 33840
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 3 months actual suspension, 21 months stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest charges of administering an incorrect dose of fentanyl to a surgical patient prior to application of proper monitoring and administration of oxygen, and thereafter intentionally and falsely altering said patient's vital sign record.
HEIDI HARTMANN HITCHMAN-HARTMANN; HERMON NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 286214; Cal. No. 33680
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to charges of having been convicted of Driving While Intoxicated, an unclassified misdemeanor; medication error, and consuming alcohol at work.
VALERIE ISMAEL; FARMINGDALE NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 709249; Cal. No. 33184
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of, while employed and on duty as a registered professional nurse, having accessed patient records without the prior consent of the patient or patient's physician for a purpose unrelated to treatment of the patient.
RYAN D KINNALLY; RUSH NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 626384; Cal. No. 32062
Action: Found guilty of professional misconduct; Penalty: Indefinite actual suspension for no less than 6 months and until fit to practice, upon return to practice, 2 years probation.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of professional misconduct for having been convicted of Assault in the 3rd Degree, a class A misdemeanor.
LAUREN SHEREE LINDSEY; FORT WORTH TX
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 695575; Cal. No. 33899
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of having withdrawn narcotics from the medication dispensing system without a valid physician's order and having failed to properly document the wastage of these withdrawals.
PATRICK WAYNE MCNAMARA; MORAVIA NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 488410; Cal. No. 33904
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of boundary violations.
STEPHEN G OGNIBENE; BATAVIA NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 520179; Cal. No. 33654
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Criminal Contempt in the 2nd Degree, a misdemeanor.
SUSAN V OSBORN; HORSEHEADS NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 453396; Cal. No. 32057
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation, 100 hours public service.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of altering a picture drawn by a patient with gender identity dysphoria to include feminine features.
REBECCA FRIEND OSBORNE (A/K/A FRIEND REBECCA LEE); SPARTA NC
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 698627; Cal. No. 33874
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Simple Assault in the State of North Carolina, a misdemeanor, which if committed in New York State, would constitute Assault in the 3rd Degree, a class A misdemeanor; having been convicted of Larceny in the State of North Carolina, a misdemeanor, which if committed in New York State, would constitute Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony; and having been convicted of Driving While Intoxicated in the State of North Carolina, a misdemeanor, which if committed in New York State, would constitute an unclassified misdemeanor.
TATIANA PORTELA; FRISCO TX
Profession: Nurse Practitioner In Adult Health; Cert. No. 307045; Cal. No. 33763
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $1,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of having accessed patient records without the prior consent of the patient or patient's physician for a purpose unrelated to treatment of the patient.
TATIANA C PORTELA; FRISCO TEXAS 75035 NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 577095; Cal. No. 33762
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $1,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of having accessed patient records without the prior consent of the patient or patient's physician for a purpose unrelated to treatment of the patient.
SARAH ANN RENE PRESTON (A/K/A RUGUR SARAH ANN RENE); HORNELL NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 329523; Cal. No. 33780
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Indefinite actual suspension until fit to practice, upon return to practice, 2 years probation, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of having failed to accurately document the administration, waste, or return of controlled substances.
LYNN M RITZ (A/K/A BUSH LYNN M); UTICA NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 269793; Cal. No. 31748
Action: Found guilty of professional misconduct; Penalty: Revocation.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of professional misconduct for charges of negligence on more than one occasion; and gross negligence on one occasion.
ILA ANNE SHARKO (A/K/A SHARKO LLA A); MEDFORD NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 307375; Cal. No. 33854
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee admitted to failing to complete continuing education consisting of coursework in medication administration, ethics, patient communication, and empathy/compassion, and failing to answer and submit quarterly questionnaires as requested by the Department, as required by the terms of probation imposed by the Board of Regents in Order No. 32616.
LAURA GABRIELLE SIMONS; HORNELL NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 317374; Cal. No. 33512
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 months actual suspension, 22 months stayed suspension, upon return to practice, 2 years probation, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having a personal relationship with a patient.
TINA MARIA SUMNER; DE SOTO MO
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 750491; Cal. No. 33942
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of, in the State of Missouri, being convicted of two counts of Statutory Rape in the 2nd Degree, a class D felony, which if committed in New York State, would constitute Rape in the 3rd Degree, a class E felony.
Pharmacy
RAPID DRUGS INC; WOODSIDE, NY
Profession: Pharmacy; Reg. No. 038327; Cal. No. 33684
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: $5,000 fine.
Summary: Registrant did not contest the charge of operating a retail pharmacy without a supervising pharmacist to provide adequate supervision for approximately three months.
Psychology
EDWARD HARRISON DEWEY; WASHINGTON DC
Profession: Psychologist; Lic. No. 016405; Cal. No. 33520
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Censure and reprimand, $2,500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of willful failure to register from September 2013 to June 2019.
Public Accountancy
STEVEN H BALLIN; EAST ROCKAWAY NY
Profession: Certified Public Accountant; Lic. No. 038609; Cal. No. 33307
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 6 months actual suspension, 18 months stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $5,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of seven counts of Criminal Tax Fraud in the 5th Degree a class A misdemeanor.
ANDREA RUTH DOANE; DEXTER NY
Profession: Certified Public Accountant; Lic. No. 092384; Cal. No. 33543
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 failure to obtain appropriate audit evidence on contributions, income and/or benefit payments, and failure to sufficiently test participant eligibility, payroll, investment income, allocation of employer contributions to participants accounts and/or opening balances.
STEVEN MARK ETKIND; NEW CITY NY
Profession: Certified Public Accountant; Lic. No. 061494; Cal. No. 32373
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Tax Evasion, an unclassified felony.
November 2024
Pharmacy
ELDRIDGE STREET PHARMACY INC; NEW YORK, NY
Profession: Pharmacy; Reg. No. 038947; Cal. No. 34340
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: $3,000 fine.
Summary: Registrant did not contest the charge of failing to have a licensed pharmacist on duty while operating.
Psychology
PHOENIX PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES PC; EDGEWATER, NJ
Profession: Professional Service Corporation; Cal. No. 34146
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $5,000 fine.
Summary: Registrant did not contest the charge of having employed an unlicensed therapist to provide therapeutic services to patients.