Published in the January 2005 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 36, No. 1

David Wayne Rhodes, Jr., secured employment as a Registered Nurse, with a long term care facility in the Dallas, Texas area in 1994. Mr. Rhodes worked as Director of Nursing and Director of Clinical Services without a license to practice professional nursing in the State of Texas. A consumer initiated a verification of Mr. Rhodes’ licensure, found that he was not licensed, and reported the information to the Board. The Board investigation revealed that Mr. Rhodes is not licensed to practice professional nursing in Texas. Mr. Rhodes' employment was terminated on December 2, 2004. The case was reported to the Dallas County Attorney’s Office.

Published in the January 2005 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 36, No. 1

Deanna Allen voluntarily surrendered her license to practice professional nursing in the State of Texas on July 26, 2004. Ms. Allen was employed as a registered nurse with a nursing home in Longview, Texas, and continued in her position until October 29, 2004, when it was discovered during a survey that Ms. Allen was no longer licensed to practice professional nursing in Texas. Ms. Allen was terminated from employment on October 29, 2004 and was reported to the Board's office. The Board will refer the case to the Gregg County District Attorney’s office.

Published in the January 2005 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 36, No. 1

Denise Anne Lawrence Craig voluntarily surrendered her license to practice professional nursing to the Texas Board of Nursing for the State of Texas on March 16, 2004. Ms. Craig continued her employment as a Staff Development Coordinator with a home health agency in Longview, Texas, and made three (3) skilled nursing visits to three (3) clients on July 30, 2004.  Ms. Craig was terminated from employment on August 30, 2004. The Board has referred the case to the Gregg County District Attorney’s Office.

Published in the April 2005 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 36, No. 2

Christina Pebleano Armstrong, aka Tina Marie Armstrong, secured employment as a Registered Nurse with a geriatric psychiatric facility in Houston, Texas. Ms. Armstrong worked at the facility from April 23, 2003, through June 1, 2004. Ms. Armstrong’s behavior became suspicious and erratic and when she provided her renewed license the staff attempted to verify. Upon verification of Ms. Armstrong’s license, staff found that license belonged to someone else. The supervisor me with Ms. Armstrong and asked her to give an explanation about the forged license but she refused to do so. Ms. Armstrong was terminated from employment and the case was referred to the Board office. On December 1, 2004, Ms. Armstrong then attempted to obtain employment as a Registered Nurse with a doctor’s office in Dallas, Texas. The doctor’s office utilized a staffing agency to verify licenses for their potential employees, and Ms. Armstrong was approved for hire. Before Ms. Armstrong was officially hired, the office staff verified the license number provided and found it belonged to someone else. Ms. Armstrong was not hired. The case was referred to the Harris County, District Attorney’s Office, Houston, Texas.

SEE ALSO: Published in the January 2006 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 37, No. 1

Published in the April 2005 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 36, No. 2

On April 1, 2004, Tommy Carter attempted to obtain employment as a Licensed Vocational Nurse with a long term facility in Houston, Texas. Mr. Carter presented an altered photo copy of a wallet sized license and stated his original license had been stolen from his car. He also stated his driver’s license and social security card were taken at the same time. When the facility tried to verify the license number provided it belonged to another licensee and no verification was found with Mr. Carter’s social security number. Mr. Carter was called by facility to come back and talk about the identification information he provided, but he never returned their call. The case was referred to the Harris County, District Attorney’s Office, Houston, Texas.

Published in the April 2005 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 36, No. 2

Cheryl Jeanne Chin secured employment as a registered nurse with a physician’s office in Houston, Texas. Ms. Chin worked as a registered nurse from March 15, 2004, through April 2, 2004. The Human Resources Manager attempted to verify Ms. Chin’s license and found that she was not licensed to practice professional nursing in the State of Texas. The manager contacted Ms. Chin and informed her that she could not return to work until she brought in her license. On April 6, 2004, Ms. Chin telephoned the physician’s office and informed them that she would not be returning to work because she found another position. The case was referred to the Harris County, District Attorney’s Office, Houston, Texas.

Published in the April 2005 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 36, No. 2

Teresa Michelle Elmore was issued a Temporary Permit to practice as a graduate vocational nurse which expired on November 6, 2003. Ms. Elmore took and failed the licensing examination on two occasions. Ms. Elmore secured employment as a Licenced Vocational Nurse (LVN) with a hospital in Kerrville, Texas, and practiced as an LVN from November 7, 2003, through March 23, 2004. During her employment with facility, Ms. Elmore had three (3) minor medication errors. Ms. Elmore’s personnel file was reviewed and staff discovered that they did not have current licensure information. The Facility contacted Ms. Elmore to question her on her LVN license and she admitted that she did not pass boards, effective October 14, 2003. The case was referred to the Kerr County, District Attorney’s Office, Kerrville, Texas.

Published in the April 2005 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 36, No. 2

Ms. Gebrewold secured employment as a Licensed Vocational Nurse in a long term care facility in Plano, Texas Ms. Gebrewold worked at the facility from July 17, 2003, through March 13, 2004. In March 2004, the Director of Nursing started noticing unusual nurse practice from Ms. Gebrewold. Ms. Gebrewold was performing her duties as though she was "green" to the nursing profession. The Director of Nursing pulled Ms. Gebrewold’s personnel file to see what school Ms. Gebrewold had attended but could find no record of a school. She then attempted to verify Ms. Gebrewold’s nursing license and found there was no record of Ms. Gebrewold being licensed in the State of Texas. Ms. Gebrewold employment was terminated and the information was referred to the Plano Police Department.

Published in the April 2005 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 36, No. 2

Shirley Ann Harris’ license to practice professional nursing was Revoked by the Texas Board of Nursing on May 13, 2003. Ms. Harris continued to work as a Registered Nurse without a valid license, from May 13, 2003, through September 10, 2004, with long term care center in Marshall, Texas. The case was referred to the Harrison County Attorney’s Office, Marshall, Texas.

Published in the April 2005 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 36, No. 2

Shanta B. Patel secured employed as a Registered Nurse with an Independent School District in November 1992. On October 4, 2004 the employer attempted to verify licensure after they noted several discrepancies on the copy of the license that Ms. Patel presented. The employer contact the Board office and found that the number of the license belonged to another individual. Ms. Patel was terminated from employment on November 17, 2004. The case was referred to the Harris County, District Attorney’s Office, Houston, Texas. On January 13, 2005, Ms. Patel was arrested and indicted for Tampering with a Government Record, a felony offense.

Published in the April 2005 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 36, No. 2

Beverly Markeata Willis was issued a Temporary Permit to practice as a graduate vocational nurse which expired on November 15, 2002. Ms. Willis took and failed the licensing examination on January 8, 2002. Ms. Willis continued to practice as a Graduate Vocational Nurse from November 16, 2001, through December 5, 2001 at a hospital in Pasadena, Texas. In December 2001, Ms Willis presented a wallet sized license to practice vocational nursing in the State of Texas. The staff attempted to verify the license which had an expiration date of January 31, 2004 and found that it belonged to another licensee. Ms. Willis was immediately confronted by phone; however she did not return the employer’s phone calls and did not return to work. Ms. Willis practiced as an LVN from December 6, 2001, through January 16, 2004. The case was referred to the Harris County, District Attorney’s Office, Houston, Texas.

Published in the July 2005 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 36, No. 3

Shelly Ann Armstrong, secured employment as a registered nurse with a legal resource agency in Houston, Texas. In April 2004, Ms. Armstrong was assigned as contract nurse for a consulting firm in Houston, Texas. On June 5, 2004 the consulting firm attempted to verify Ms. Armstrong’s education and licensure and found no information. Ms. Armstrong was instructed not to return to work until she brought verification of education and license. Ms. Armstrong brought in a copy of a diploma issued to Shelly Ruddick O’Connor from the University of Houston. The University was contacted and they verified that no degree had been issued to the individual named on the copy. The only Michelle O’Connor licensed in Texas is an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) and Ms. Armstrong’s resume did not include that information. When questioned, Ms. Armstrong told the firm that she did not include the APN because she did not want to work in that area. The consulting firm reported their findings to Ms. Armstrong’s employer. The employer was not able to verify her licensure and Ms. Armstrong was terminated from employment. The case was referred to the Harris County, District Attorney’s Office, Houston, Texas.

Published in the October 2005 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 36, No. 4

Toni Stringfellow secured employment as a Regional Manager with an employee testing facility in San Antonio, Texas. The position required a registered nurse license. Ms. Stringfellow was issued business cards that had her name followed by the initials "RN." In May 2005, the Board received information that Ms. Stringfellow, RN, had passed unauthorized prescriptions for Stadol Nasal Spray. Ms. Stringfellow had called in the prescription with two refills. During Ms. Stringfellow’s visits to her physician, she informed the doctor that she was a nurse. Ms. Stringfellow was terminated from employment in May 2005. Ms. Stringfellow then secured employment as a school nurse with a private christian school in San Antonio, Texas. On September 26, 2005, Ms. Stringfellow was arrested and her employment was terminated. Ms. Stringfellow has an extensive history with the Board regarding her illegal practice as a professional nurse, including several convictions. The case was referred to the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, San Antonio, Texas.

Published in the October 2005 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 36, No. 4

Georganna Pyle Thomas secured employment as a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) with a medical clinic in Kaufman, Texas on April 7, 2004. Ms. Thomas started orientation on April 11, 2004. When the facility was unable to verify her licensure, they requested that she provide her license for verification. Ms. Thomas provided license number 075123. When the staff attempted to verify the number they found that it was issued to another individual. The staff contacted the Board office and reported the information. The employer confronted Ms. Thomas and she admitted to providing false information in an attempt to secure the position. Ms. Thomas was terminated from employment. The case was referred to the Kaufman County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, Kaufman, Texas.

Published in the October 2005 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 36, No. 4

Mollie Avanell Crelia secured employment as a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) with a long term care center in McGregor, Texas on November 9, 2004. While Ms. Crelia was in orientation, her employer attempted to verify her license on the Board’s website. They found that the license number Ms. Crelia provided was issued to another individual. The employer contacted Ms. Crelia and informed her that they were having problems verifying the license. Ms. Crelia told them she had lost her purse about two years earlier. The employer contacted McLennan Community College and they verified that Ms. Crelia completed the Basic LVN training in 1980. Their records indicated that Ms.Crelia failed the licensure examination in 1981 and made no further attempts to take the exam. Ms. Crelia told the employer that she had taken the test and failed by three (3) points and then took it again in 1981 and passed. Ms. Crelia’s employment was terminated and the case was referred to the McGregor Police Department. The case was also referred to the McLennan County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, Waco, Texas.