Regents Cases in 33 Professional Discipline Cases and 1 Restoration Petition

The Board of Regents announced disciplinary actions resulting in the revocation of 1 license, the surrender of 4 licenses and 28 other disciplinary actions. The penalty indicated for each case relates solely to the misconduct set forth in that particular case. In addition, the Board acted upon 1 restoration petition.

I.  REVOCATION AND SURRENDERS

DENTISTRY

Gerald A. Zupkoff; Dentist; Hewlett, NY 11557; Lic. No. 021704; Cal. No. 26472; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Medical Assistance Provider; Prohibited Practice, a class E felony.

NURSING

Arthur W. Wheeler; Registered Professional Nurse; East Elmhurst, NY 11370; Lic. No. 256992; Cal. No. 26138; Found guilty of professional misconduct; Penalty: Revocation.

Dana Marie Dougherty; Registered Professional Nurse; Dumont, NJ 07628; Lic. No. 551166; Cal. No. 26449; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge that, on several separate occasions, she withdrew the wrong dose from the Pyxis machine for the medication Heparin for use in preparing an IV Saline solution, causing the resulting solutions to be under-dosed for Heparin.

Maria Theresa Ogtong-Tynan; Registered Professional Nurse; Fort Lee, NJ 07024; Lic. No. 425761; Cal. No. 26508; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of practicing nursing while her ability to care for her patients was impaired by debilitating pain and limitation of movement arising from her severe degenerative back condition.

PHARMACY

V. Rao Veeramachaneni; Pharmacist; Brooklyn, NY 11234; Lic. No. 029970; Cal. No. 26530; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the allegations that, between January 1, 2004 and March 30, 2009, he submitted, and caused to be submitted, claims to Medicaid for prescription drugs that were never dispensed; and submitted, and caused to be submitted, claims to Medicaid for prescription drugs that were diverted prescription drugs from lawful distribution.

II.  OTHER REGENTS DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS

CLINICAL LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY PRACTICE

Chris Morel; Clinical Laboratory Technician; New York, NY 10024; Cert. No. 000494; Cal. No. 26494; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 6 month actual suspension, 18 month stayed suspension, 24 months probation, $1,000 fine.

DENTISTRY

Harry Satin; Dentist; Valley Stream, NY 11580; Lic. No. 034200; Cal. No. 26521; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 year stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Guy Charles Winig; Hillsdale, NY 12529; Lic. No. 001314; Cal. No. 26499; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation to commence upon return to practice.

MASSAGE THERAPY

Amy E. La Forte; Albany, NY 12202; Lic. No. 017290; Cal. No. 26359; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation.

NURSING

Kristin Cerminaro; Licensed Practical Nurse; Farmingville, NY 11738-2231; Lic. No. 298867; Cal. No. 25499; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 month actual suspension, 23 month stayed suspension, 2 years probation.

Sean Dewey Brown; Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered Professional Nurse; East Moriches, NY 11940; Lic. Nos. 249702, 514117; Cal. Nos. 25816, 25815; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Indefinite actual suspension until successfully complete course of therapy and treatment and until fit to practice, upon termination of suspension, 2 years probation to commence if and when return to practice.

Nancy Nero a/k/a Nancy Newhard; Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered Professional Nurse; Rensselaer, NY 12144; Lic. Nos. 242346, 525615; Cal. Nos. 25985, 25986; Found guilty of professional misconduct; Penalty: $1,000 fine, 2 year suspension, execution of last year of suspension stayed, probation 2 years to run concurrent with period of suspension.

Shannon L. Pillion; Licensed Practical Nurse; Binghamton, NY 13905-3433; Lic. No. 265569; Cal. No. 26119; Found guilty of professional misconduct; Penalty: 2 year suspension, execution of suspension stayed, probation 2 years to run concurrent with period of stayed suspension.

Catherine F. Lugtu; Registered Professional Nurse; Port Washington, NY 11050; Lic. No. 513856; Cal. No. 26167; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 month actual suspension, 23 month stayed suspension, 2 years probation.

Rachel Cratsley; Registered Professional Nurse; Romulus, NY 14541-9576; Lic. No. 601635; Cal. No. 26323; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 year suspension, 2 years probation to commence upon return to practice, $500 fine.

Kellie Eileen Burk; Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered Professional Nurse; East Islip, NY 11730-1310; Lic. Nos. 256216, 564949; Cal. Nos. 26336, 26337; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 year stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.

Michael Peter Bernardi; Registered Professional Nurse; Schenectady, NY 12303; Lic. No. 630370; Cal. No. 26376; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Indefinite actual suspension until fit to practice, upon termination of suspension, 2 years probation to commence upon return to practice, $500 fine payable within 6 months.

Lisa Jane Cordaro; Registered Professional Nurse; Valley Cottage, NY 10989; Lic. No. 518938; Cal. No. 26387; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation, $500 fine.

Darlene Ann Whitney; Registered Professional Nurse; Delmar, NY 12054; Lic. No. 471028; Cal. No. 26388; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 month actual suspension, 10 month stayed suspension, 1 year probation.

Terrence James Berke; Licensed Practical Nurse; Hilton, NY 14468; Lic. No. 297672; Cal. No. 26395; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 month actual suspension, 23 month stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $250 fine.

Joseph F. Twardowski; Registered Professional Nurse; Tonawanda, NY 14223; Lic. No. 386695; Cal. No. 26402; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 month actual suspension, 11 month stayed suspension, 1 year probation, $500 fine.

Antoinette L. Maria; Registered Professional Nurse; Elmira, NY 14904; Lic. No. 621471; Cal. No. 26403; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 year stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.

Jamie T. Webster a/k/a Jamie Todd Webster; Licensed Practical Nurse; Elmira, NY 14901; Lic. No. 294908; Cal. No. 26421; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 year stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.

Christine E. Ayres; Registered Professional Nurse; Stanley, NY 14561; Lic. No. 513384; Cal. No. 26444; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 year stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.

Cheryl Lynn Pedone; Registered Professional Nurse; Burnt Hills, NY 12027; Lic. No. 444976; Cal. No. 26500; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Indefinite actual suspension until fit to practice, upon termination of suspension, 2 years probation to commence upon return to practice, $500 fine.

PHARMACY

Vishal R. Patel;  Pharmacist; New York, NY  10001; Lic. No. 055379; Cal. No. 26539; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 year stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $5,000 fine.

PODIATRY

Thomas Barbaro; New Hyde Park, NY 11040; Lic. No. 004360; Cal. No. 24726; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 year stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $10,000 fine.

Thomas Barbaro, DPM, PC; 706 Jericho Turnpike, New Hyde Park, NY 11040; Cal. No. 26282; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: $10,000 fine payable within 6 months.

John DeStefano; Whitestone, NY 11357-4135; Lic. No. 006355; Cal. No. 26430; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 month actual suspension, 23 month stayed suspension, 24 months probation, $3,000 fine.

PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY

James Craig Taylor; Certified Public Accountant; Hauppauge, NY 11788; Lic. No. 048851; Cal. No. 26461; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation, $750 fine..

III.  RESTORATION

The Board of Regents voted on February 12, 2013 to deny the application for restoration of the physician license of John Gelfand, Bayside, New York. Dr. Gelfand’s license was originally surrendered May 30, 2006.