Published in the January 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 1

Frances Dean secured employment as the Office Manager with a physician’s office in Galveston, Texas. Ms. Dean has been employed for approximately four (4) years. Ms. Dean used “RN” after her name on business cards and other documents. In addition, she used the title “Office Nurse.” Ms. Dean is not licensed to practice nursing, and she admits that she has never completed a nursing program.

Published in the January 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 1

Lita Tiana Gasaway-Roberts secured employment as an LVN with a long term care facility in Beaumont, Texas. Ms. Gasaway-Roberts was employed from August 4, 2006, through August 15, 2006. Ms. Gasaway-Roberts submitted a copy of an LVN license that appeared to be altered. The employer faxed a copy of the altered license to the Board office and it was confirmed that the license was altered. Ms. Gasaway-Roberts was terminated from employment on August 15, 2006, after she was unable to verify the information on file with the Board regarding her education and graduation date. During the investigation, the Board determined that Ms. Gasaway-Roberts has attempted to secure employment using other names and license numbers. The Board staff communicated with a licensee who reported that her wallet was lost and it contained her LVN license, social security card and other personal information. She states that someone is using her information to work as an LVN, and she is cooperating with the Board to pursue criminal charges. The case was referred to the Beaumont Police Department.

Published in the July 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 3

Lita Tiana Gasaway-Roberts secured employment as an RN with a long term care facility in Houston, Texas. Ms. Gasaway- Roberts used the identity and license belonging to a currently licensed RN. Ms. Gasaway-Roberts was promoted to the position of Assistant Director of Nursing and worked from April 12, 2007 through December 2007. The facility received the Board’s newsletter and saw Ms. Gasaway-Roberts featured in the impostor section with a different name. The facility notified the Board and reported the information to the Houston Police Department

Published in the January 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 1

Aubrie Nutt Whisenhunt secured employment in a marketing position with a home health agency in Forney, Texas, on May 14, 2007. The Administrator attempted to verify Ms. Whisenhunt’s LVN license online and could not find anyone by the name. Ms. Whisenhunt was signing LVN after her name, she had LVN on her ID badge, business cards and e-mails. Ms. Whisenhunt submitted an application for employment in which she states that she is an LVN in Texas, and she requested to be allowed to work in a clinical setting. The administrator did not assign any clinical work because she could not verify the license, and Ms. Whisenhunt was terminated from employment as of June 14, 2007.

Published in the January 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 1

Lianita Howard secured employment as an LVN with a home health agency in Carrollton, Texas, on March 17, 2006. The agency was unable to verify Ms. Howard’s license. Ms. Howard presented a copy of a license which appeared to be altered and was unable to produce the wallet -sized license. The agency found that Ms. Howard was a Certified Nurse Aide, not an LVN. Ms. Howard had been scheduled to perform patient visits and performed one (1) visit after which they found that she was not licensed and she was taken off the schedule. Ms. Howard was terminated from employment. The case was referred to the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office.

Published in the January 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 1

Stacy Wallace-Clakley secured employment as an LVN with a staffing agency in Tyler, Texas. On April 17, 2007, Stacy Wallace-Clakley was assigned to work in a long term care facility in Tyler, Texas. The facility staff attempted to verify Ms. Wallace-Clakley’s LVN license online and could not find a license. The facility’s DON sent the agency nurse home until they could verify a license. In November 2006, prior to working at this facility, Ms. Wallace-Clakley had been assigned to work as an LVN in another long term care faclity. Ms. Wallace-Clakley was terminated (deactivated) by the staffing agency. The case was referred to the Smith County Criminal District Attorney’s Office.

Published in the April 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 2

Martha Gesegnet posed as a Registered Nurse and used RN after her name from February 2006 through February 2008 in the State of Texas. Ms. Gesegnet is not licensed to practice professional nursing in Texas. The Board office received several business cards which reflected RN after Ms. Gesegnet’s name and she is listed on various web sites advertising Healing Touch classes presented by Ms. Gesegnet, RN, in Austin, Texas.

Published in the April 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 2

Donna Locker was employed as a Registered Nurse with a rehabilitation center in Carrollton, Texas, from 1995 through November 2007. The facility contacted the Board on November 15, 2007, in an attempt to verify licensure after an accreditation site visit during which Donna Locker’s personnel file disappeared. The facility was unable to recover the personnel file and they were unable to verify Ms. Locker’s license on the Board’s web site. The facility Director reported the information to the Carrollton Police Department.

Published in the April 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 2

Christy L. Parks was employed as a Registered Nurse for a non-profit organization in Tyler, Texas. Ms. Parks held herself out as a Registered Nurse and used RN after her name. A copy of the business card distributed by Christy Parks at a presentation was submitted to the Board and verified that she was using RN after her name. She was listed in the organization’s publication as being a staff RN.

Published in the April 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 2

Natalie Michelle Williams secured employment as a Technician/LVN with a facility in Texarkana, Texas, on March 6, 2007. Ms. Williams presented herself as a GVN and stated she would be taking her licensing exam as soon as possible. Natalie Williams was employed from March 6, 2007 through July 11, 2007. Ms. Williams performed duties specific to licensed staff and she signed LVN after her name. The facility later confirmed that Ms. Williams did not have a temporary license to practice, and they terminated her employment. The case was referred to the Bowie County District Attorney's Office.

Published in the April 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 2

Virginia Jonette Meacham secured employment as Office Manager/LVN/Billing with a clinic in Amarillo, Texas, in January 2006. On October 4, 2007, Ms. Meacham terminated her employment and when the facility attempted to verify her LVN license they found that it was issued to someone else. Ms. Meacham wore a name tag with LVN after her name and signed LVN after her name on the medical records. The case was referred to the Potter County District Attorney's Office.

Published in the April 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 2

Lataya Thomas faxed a resume to a rehabilitation center in Beaumont, Texas, on October 23, 2006. The fax included a copy of an LVN license and CPR card. When the facility attempted to verify the license on the Board’s web site, they found that the number was issued to someone else. The facility reported the information to the Beaumont Police Department.

Published in the July 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 3

Latonya Stacey Johnson submitted applications for employment as an LVN to three (3) long term care facilities in the Houston, Texas. Ms. Johnson included a copy of an on-line license verification that belonged to a different licensee. When the facilities attempted to verify the license by contacting the Board they found that Ms. Johnson’s information did not match the individual licensed by the Board. The facilities did not hire her. The case was referred to the Gregg County District Attorney’s Office.

Published in the July 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 3

Hala Farouk Alameddine was employed as the Assistant Director of Nursing with a health care agency in Houston, Texas from July 10, 2006 through September 9, 2007. Ms. Alameddine misrepresented herself as an RN and performed duties of a registered nurse without a license to practice professional nursing in the State of Texas. The criminal case against Ms. Alameddine is currently pending in Harris County Court at Law No. 1 and is being handled by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

Published in the July 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 3

Tracie Lacketch Gray secured employment as a Medical Supervisor with a health/allied services company in Dallas, Texas, on October 25, 2004. Ms. Gray’s employment application and resume indicated that she had a Certificate in Vocational Nursing and previous employment as an LVN. Ms. Gray also provided a copy of an LVN license with an expiration date of December 30, 2005, and she subsequently submitted another copy of the license with an expiration date of January 2008. The facility performed an audit of personnel files and discovered that the license number did not belong to Ms. Gray and that the copies of the license that she had given them were forgeries. Ms. Gray was terminated from employment on February 22, 2008 and the information was reported to the Board. The case was referred to the Dallas County District Attorney's Office.

Published in the October 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 4

Kathlyn Yvonne Jones applied for an LVN position in the flu clinics of a healthcare agency on September 17, 2007. Ms. Jones was hired and received orientation to work in clinics in the Dallas area. In December 2007, the facility discovered that they did not have a copy of Ms. Jones’ LVN license in her personnel file and that no verification of license had been completed upon hiring. They attempted to verify her license on-line and were unsuccessful. The agency contacted the Board office and verified that Ms. Jones did not hold a license to practice vocational nursing in Texas. The case was referred to the Dallas County District Attorney’s office.

Published in the October 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 4

Kathlyn Yvonne Jones applied for an LVN position in the flu clinics of a healthcare agency on September 17, 2007. Ms. Jones was hired and received orientation to work in clinics in the Dallas area. In December 2007, the facility discovered that they did not have a copy of Ms. Jones’ LVN license in her personnel file and that no verification of license had been completed upon hiring. They attempted to verify her license on-line and were unsuccessful. The agency contacted the Board office and verified that Ms. Jones did not hold a license to practice vocational nursing in Texas. The case was referred to the Dallas County District Attorney’s office.

Published in the October 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 4

Patricia N. Britt license to practice vocational nursing (LVN) in the State of Texas was revoked on March 20, 2007. Ms. Britt applied for employment on January 14, 2008, with a physician’s group in Richardson, Texas. During the interview Ms. Britt misrepresented herself as an RN and was hired. Her duties included patient care and she signed her name followed by RN in the patients’ medical records. Ms. Britt also wore a pin with her name followed by the initials RN. Ms. Britt was terminated from employment on January 22, 2008. The case was referred to the Collin County District Attorney's Office.

SEE ALSO: Published in the April 2009 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 40, No. 2

Published in the October 2008 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 39, No. 4

Jamie Gayle Smith's license to practice professional nursing in the State of Texas was revoked on November 10, 2003. Ms. Smith continued to practice and continued to use the initials "RN" after her name at two places of employment.

SEE ALSO: Published in the April 2009 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin, Volume 40, No. 2