State disciplines Tri-City health care workers
State health officials have announced discipline action involving some Tri-City health care workers.
Benton County
In August, the pharmacy commission entered an agreement with pharmacist Benjamin David Walling that places his license on probation and requires him to undergo an evaluation for a substance abuse monitoring program. While at work, Walling appeared impaired and confused. Witnesses say he appeared to hallucinate that people were hiding in the counseling room and standing at the pharmacy counter. He provided the wrong medication to two patients, the wrong quantity to two other patients, and filled a schedule IV controlled substance for himself. Walling submitted to a urinalysis, which tested positive for fentanyl.
In August, the nursing commission charged registered nurse Jill Elizabeth Bocol with unprofessional conduct. In 2015, Bocol was convicted of driving while intoxicated.
The pharmacy commission ended probation for pharmacist Max R. Strait in August.
The pharmacy commission charged pharmacy technician Jessica L. Whitman with unprofessional conduct in August. Whitman allegedly prepared prescriptions and compounded prescription mouthwash without supervision from a licensed pharmacist.
Walla Walla County
The secretary of health indefinitely suspended the certified nursing assistant credential of Martin Segovia in August. After Segovia left a vulnerable adult unattended in 2015, the state Department of Social and Health Services determined he had neglected a vulnerable adult. He can’t be employed in caring for or having unsupervised access to vulnerable adults.
This story was originally published October 21, 2016 at 7:45 PM with the headline "State disciplines Tri-City health care workers."