Regents Actions In 43 Professional Discipline Cases

I. SUMMARY SUSPENSION

Chiropractic

Ronald Bernardini; Chiropractor; Lake Ronkonkoma, NY 11779; Lic. No. 002929; Cal. No. 33700; Application for summary suspension granted.

II. REVOCATION AND SURRENDERS

Athletic Training

Austin J.H. Pratt a/k/a Austin James Hallock Pratt; Athletic Trainer; Joint Base MDL, NJ 08640; Cert. No. 002584; Cal. No. 33342; Found guilty of professional misconduct; Penalty: Revocation.

Dentistry

Rhona Stanley; Dentist; Petaluma, CA 94952; Lic. No. 035318; Cal. No. 33426; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest that charge of failing to completely document a treatment plan.

Nursing

Francine Alexandra Kendzia; Registered Professional Nurse, Nurse Practitioner (Adult Health); Niagara Falls, NY 14304; Lic. No. 545979, Cert. No. 304850; Cal. Nos. 33225, 33224; Application to surrender license and to surrender certificate granted. Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Health Care Fraud.

Bautista Eustaquio Urriza Jr; Registered Professional Nurse; Caledonia, NY 14423; Lic. No. 570384; Cal. No. 33424; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of failing to suction a patient’s tracheostomy tube for five hours, resulting in the patient’s death.

Tammy Yvonne McQueen; Registered Professional Nurse; Charlotte, NC 28213; Lic. No. 614363; Cal. No. 33538; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of having been convicted of Driving with Unlawful Alcohol Concentration in South Carolina.

Kathleen A. Huston; Registered Professional Nurse; Grand Junction, CO 81507-9529; Lic. No. 521924; Cal. No. 33575; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of finding of professional misconduct by the Colorado Board of Registered Nursing, which if committed in New York State, would constitute professional misconduct for practicing the profession of nursing with negligence on more than one occasion, in violation of section 6509(2) of the New York State Education Law.

Kristi L. Swinton a/k/a Kristi L.C. Hecker a/k/a Kristi L.C. Searles a/k/a Kristi L.C. Hulse; Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered Professional Nurse, Nurse Practitioner (Family Health); Alplaus, NY 12008; Lic. Nos. 271944, 588726; Cert. No. 344139; Cal. Nos. 33585, 33587, 33586; Application to surrender licenses and to surrender certificate granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of practicing the profession of nursing with moral unfitness.

Heather Elizabeth Gilbert; Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered Professional Nurse; Williamsburgh, IA 52361-9416; Lic. Nos. 262619, 542241; Cal. Nos. 33596, 33595; Application to surrender licenses granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of documentation and medication errors in Vermont.

Marissa Urraro; Licensed Practical Nurse; Northport, NY 11768-3107; Lic. No. 337289; Cal. No. 33615; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the allegations of having acted in concert with others and created a Covid-19 vaccination record for patients without administering the said Covid-19 vaccination to patients.

Pharmacy

Bruce C. Snipas; Pharmacist; West Islip, NY 11795; Lic. No. 033864; Cal. No. 33327; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest charges of failing to maintain sanitary conditions, and compounding drugs in an unsanitary area; permitting a pharmacy technician to compound pain cream without direct supervision; and improper labeling of mail order drug products without the correct name of the registered pharmacy.

Ho-Orr Lin; Pharmacist; Manhasset Hills, NY 11040; Lic. No. 035878; Cal. No. 33509; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of mistakenly administering a Procrit vaccine to a five-year-old child instead of a second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. 

Public Accountancy

Thomas William Whittle III; Certified Public Accountant; Gladstone, NJ 07934; Lic. No. 079726; Cal. No. 33479; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, a class D felony, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, a class C felony, and Wire Fraud, a class C felony.

Social Work

Krista Marie Robertson; Licensed Master Social Worker; Endicott, NY 13760; Lic. No. 108791; Cal. No. 33601; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of sexual texting and boundary violations with clients.

Veterinary Medicine

Kristian Sean Rhein; Veterinarian; Garden City, NY 11530; Lic. No. 009370; Cal. No. 33510; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Drug Adulteration and Misbranding, a felony.