The Washington state Department of Health disciplined several Tri-Cities area health care workers in recent months.
All the cases were in Benton County.
▪ The Nursing Commission of the Department of Health suspended the license of Patricia Joann Elkin.
She initially had her license suspended following a 2015 conviction for DUI and hit and run, but it was later reinstated.
Her license was suspended again in July when she failed to continue to participate in a substance abuse monitoring program, according to the Washington state Department of Health.
▪ The license of home care aide Alexandria Jean Davis was revoked by the state secretary of health.
She was convicted of domestic violence assault and resisting arrest in 2018 and third- and fourth-degree assault in 2019.
▪ Occupational therapist Cathi Denee Cardon was charged with unprofessional conduct by the Department of Health Occupational Therapy Practice Board.
She was accused of saying she provided treatment to a patient in July 2019, which she later admitted she did not provide, said the Department of Health.
At the time she was working for a Kennewick home health agency.
The Department of Health said that as of August she had not responded to the allegation and has let her credential expire.
▪ The credential for Matthew Mark Trottman to work as a certified nursing assistant was suspended for three years.
Adult Protection Services of the Washington state Department of Social and Health Services found he financially exploited a vulnerable adult, according to the Department of Health
He was placed on the DSHS long-term care abuse and neglect registry, prohibiting him from caring for or having unsupervised access to vulnerable adults.
If he applies to have his credential reinstated in three years, he must pay a fine of $250 and complete eight hours of education in theft awareness and law and ethics.
▪ The occupational therapy assistant credential of Lisa A. Bliss was suspended.
She was accused of financially exploiting a a vulnerable adult in November 2015 by DSHS Adult Protection Services.
DSHS placed her on its long-term care abuse and neglect registry in February 2020, prohibiting her from caring for or having unsupervised access to vulnerable adults.
When she did not respond to charges filed by the Department of Health, it signed a default order suspending her credential in August.
She cannot apply for reinstatement of her credential for two years and must pay a fine of $5,000 and pass a Professional/Problem Based Ethics Course before applying.
▪ The registered nursing assistant credential of Madison Rae McDonald was indefinitely suspended through an agreement reached with the state Nursing Assistant Program in May.
McDonald cared for a client from February to September 2019 as an employee of a Kennewick in-home services agency.
She admitted to accepting alcohol from the client in September 2019 and staying overnight in the client’s home for reasons unrelated to her job, according to Department of Health documents.
She may petition for reinstatement of her credential after completing six hours of education in the areas of professional boundaries and law and ethics and paying a $250 fine.