Health Care: Thurston County Man's Credentials Revoked Over Child Rape Allegations

June 19--The state Department of Health recently released a list naming health care professionals who were sanctioned with official actions in June. In Southwest Washington, actions were taken against health care workers in Thurston, Clark and Pierce counties.

This is a sampling of the complete list provided by the Department of Health:

Thurston County

In June 2017, the Pharmacy Commission suspended the pharmacy assistant and pharmacy technician credentials of Michael P. Haxton for at least 20 years. In 2016, Haxton was charged with two counts of first-degree attempted child rape and one count of second-degree attempted child rape.

The Nursing Assistant Program charged Molly Elizabeth Echols, a certified nursing assistant, with unprofessional conduct. Echols' license expired in 2015, and she applied to have her license reactivated this year. In 2015, Echols was convicted of property damage, second-degree criminal trespass, third-degree theft and fourth-degree assault. She also entered a drug court program after being charged in 2015 with the unlawful possession of heroin, a controlled substance.

Clark County

The Dental Commission entered an agreement with Liem Duy Do, a dentist and moderate sedation permit holder, that places him on probation for at least one year. The action was levied after Do extracted a patient's teeth after inappropriately getting consent while the patient was already sedated. Do will be required to pay a $1,000 fine and reimburse the commission for $4,000 in costs. He will also be required to refund a patient the fees he charged for extracting 10 teeth. Additionally, Do must complete continuing education in dental medications, dental office emergencies, oral surgery, risk management and nitrous oxide treatment and pass a jurisprudence exam.

The secretary of health lifted the suspension of Linda Kay Ettl's mental health counselor credential and placed it in expired status. Ettl's license was suspended in 1994.

Pierce County

The secretary of health conditionally granted a chemical dependency professional trainee credential to Tarae Tardy and ordered her to participate in a substance abuse monitoring program. In 2012, Tardy was convicted of driving without a license and in 2011 she was convicted of third-degree possession of stolen property. In 2011 and then again in 2015, she was convicted of third-degree driving with a suspended license, and in 2015 she was also convicted of third-degree theft.

The Dental Commission entered an agreement with dental assistant Rena C. GIbson that requires her to participate in a substance abuse monitoring program. Gibson misused alcohol and legend schedule drugs or controlled substances.

The Nursing Commission entered an agreement with registered nurse Shawn Wade Staiger that requires him to abide by a substance abuse monitoring contract. Staiger took controlled substances from two adult family homes where he worked.

The Nursing Commission entered an agreement with registered nurse Victoria Lee Funk, also known as Victoria Lee Sulik, that reinstates her credential and requires her to comply with a substance abuse monitoring program. In 2016, Funk's license was suspended after the Arizona State Board of Nursing revoked her license to practice nursing in that state.

The Nursing Commission placed Tetyana Hamrovna Hafurova, a registered nurse, on probation for at least two years. As part of the agreement, Hafurova must complete continuing education in nursing jurisprudence and ethics. She will be required to practice under restrictions and write a report. The action was taken after it was found that while working at a skilled nursing facility, Hafurova failed to adequately assess or provide medication to one patient, and failed to properly document treatment of or give prescribed medication to another patient.

The Nursing Commission charged Shannah Kathleen Cozad, a registered nurse and advanced registered nurse practitioner, with unprofessional conduct. That action was taken after Cozad allegedly prescribed controlled substances to an immediate family member for chronic non-cancer pain. Charges say that Cozad failed to meet criteria for recognition as a pain management specialist and didn't comply with advanced practice in pain management rules. Cozad also allegedly failed to refer an immediate family member to an independent provider for treatment and for the prescription of controlled substances.

The Health Systems Quality Assurance Division works with boards, commissions and advisory committees in order to set licensing standards for more than 80 health care professions, ranging from medical doctors to veterinarians.

Information about health care providers is available on the DOH website at doh.wa.gov. Visitors to the webpage should click on the "How Do I" section for more information. The site includes detailed information about the license status of health care workers, including the expiration and renewal date of their credential, disciplinary actions and copies of legal documents issued after July 1998. The information is also available by calling 360-236-4700.

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