Washington Department of Health
The state Department of Health recently released a set of lists naming health care professionals who were sanctioned with official actions in February and March. In Western Washington, actions were taken toward health care workers in Lewis, Thurston, Cowlitz, Pacific, Pierce and Clark counties.
This is a sampling of the complete list provided by the Department of Health.
Pierce County
Khya Lareina Flores, a home care aide, had her credential revoked by the secretary of health. That action was taken after Flores, for four days in a row, failed to show up for her shifts as the only caregiver for a vulnerable adult patient who required mobility assistance and meal preparation. Flores failed to notify the agency that she worked for about her absences. The patient was subsequently found dead in her home and the Department of Social and Health Services found that Flores had neglected the vulnerable adult. She is now disqualified from caring for vulnerable adults, juveniles and children, which disqualifies her from being a home care aide.
Petueru Lotonuiu Namulauti had his registered medical assistant and certified nursing assistant credential suspended for at least 10 years by the secretary of health. Last year Namulauti was charged with attempted second-degree rape of a child and communication with a minor for immoral purposes. During a sting operation, he arranged to meet a 13-year old male for a sexual encounter, but was arrested by a undercover Washington State Patrol detective.
Katherine L. Buchmiller, a registered nursing assistant, was charged with unprofessional conduct by the Nursing Assistant Program. The charges state that Buchmiller tested positive for fentanyl after several fentanyl patches came up missing at a residential facility where she was employed.
Therese Postyeni was notified by the Unlicensed Practice Program of its intent to issue a cease-and-desist order. Postyeni allegedly admitted to practicing massage without a license.
Cleveland Lamar Winston, a certified nursing assistant, had his credential suspended for at least two years by the Nursing Assistant Program. In 2016 Winston was convicted of third-degree assault.
The Nursing Assistant Program agreed to reinstate the certified nursing credential of Norma Galang Ballard and placed her on probation for at least one year. Her license was suspended in 2015 after she failed to respond to charges that she failed to properly account for a dementia patient who left a memory care facility where she was employed.
Lewis County
Jolene Marie Odle, a certified nursing assistant, was charged with unprofessional conduct by the Nursing Assistant Program. Odle is accused of testing positive for morphine while on duty at an adult family home.
Ana L. Encinas-Estrada had her certified home care aide credential reinstated by the secretary of health. Her license was suspended in 2016 after she falsified her time sheets.
Thurston County
Frederick Daniel Graf, a chemical dependency professional trainee, was charged with unprofessional conduct by the Chemical Dependency Professional Program. Charges alleged that Graf failed to comply with successive substance abuse monitoring contracts.
Cowlitz County
Justin Leroy Lewis, a registered nursing assistant and certified nursing assistant, was charged with unprofessional conduct and had his credential suspended immediately by the Nursing Assistant Program. Lewis was formerly employed at a rehabilitation and extended care center and is accused of financially exploiting a vulnerable adult in his care. Charges state that Lewis admitted to using a resident’s debit card to make purchases. Last year he was charged with one count of second-degree theft and two counts of unlawful factoring of a credit card or payment card transaction. Lewis is prohibited from being employed in caring for or having unsupervised access to vulnerable adults.
Danete J. Frederickson, a licensed practical nurse, was charged with unprofessional conduct by the Nursing Commission. Frederickson is accused of improper accounting of narcotics. Charges state that 52 discrepancies were noted with controlled substances at a facility where she worked on at least two occasions she failed to properly account for narcotics.
The secretary of health ended probation for chemical dependency professional trainee Angela Lynn Dunn.
Pacific County
Angela F. Lynch, a certified nursing assistant, had her credential suspended for at least two years by the Nursing Assistant Program. Last year Lynch was convicted of third-degree theft related to the unauthorized use of a banking card that belonged to a resident at a facility where she was employed.
Clark County
Dwight Karlsen was notified by the Unlicensed Practice Program of its intent to issue a cease-and-desist order. Karlsen has allegedly been advertising massage therapy services despite lacking a credential.
Riza Salonga Verry, a certified nursing assistant, had her credential suspended for at least three years by the secretary of health.
That action was taken after it was discovered that Verry financially exploited a vulnerable adult in her care. She is no longer allowed to be employed in caring for, or having unsupervised access to vulnerable adults.
Amee Ireland was notified by the Unlicensed Practice Program of its intent to issue a cease-and-desist order. Ireland allegedly practiced medicine despite lacking a license.
The Massage Program dismissed charges against therapist Joseph L. Reef.
The Health Systems Quality Assurance Division works with boards, commissions and advisory committees in order to set licensing standards for more than 80 health care professions, ranging from medical doctors to veterinarians. Health care workers charged with unprofessional conduct have 20 days to respond to the Department of Health in writing in order to trigger a settlement process.
Information about health care providers is available on the DOH website at doh.wa.gov. Visitors to the website should click on the “How Do I” section for more information. The site includes detailed information about the license status of health care workers, including the expiration and renewal date of their credential, disciplinary actions and copies of legal documents issued after July 1998. The information is also available by calling 360-236-4700.
