State fines nurse for fentanyl abuse

Four others disciplined for substance abuse

The Board of Examiners for Nursing this week disciplined five nurses for cases involving alcohol or drug abuse, including one nurse who allegedly stole fentanyl patches from nursing home patients.

In a consent order with the board, Ashley Dizney, a registered nurse and an advanced practice registered nurse, agreed to pay a $1,000 fine and be placed on probation for four years for abusing fentanyl to excess in January.

That month, she allegedly stole fentanyl patches from patients in nursing homes in Torrington and Waterbury while working for Connecticut Mental Health Specialists of Farmington, the order said.

From 2015 to 2017, Dizney used alcohol and multiple controlled substances to excess, the order said. She chose not to contest the allegations against her.

The board on Wednesday revoked the license of Denise Meadows, a licensed practical nurse from Hebron, for abusing Dilaudid and cocaine to excess in 2016, the board’s memorandum of decision said. While working at VITAS Healthcare in Waterbury, Meadows stole the painkiller and falsified a controlled substance receipt, the memo said.

The memo stated Meadows abused alcohol from 2011 to 2016.

On Wednesday, the board placed the licensed practical nursing license of Kristin Brice, of Fairfield, on probation for two years under a consent order agreed to by Brice. The order states in 2014 and 2015, while working for Soundview Medical

Associates in Norwalk, Brice wrote prescriptions for herself for diazepam, an anti-anxiety drug, and the painkillers oxycodone and oxycodone with acetaminophen. She used those drugs to excess during that period, the consent order said.

The board suspended the registered nursing license of Karina Francis, of Colchester, stating from December 2016 to February 2017, she used controlled substances to excess and she poses a danger to the public, state

records show. Francis was diagnosed in December with opioid-use disorder and repeatedly tested positive for Xanax, cannabis and amphetamines, records show.

The board suspended the licensed practical nursing license of Frances Pisaturo, of East Haven, stating while working at PSA Healthcare in Stratford this year, she used marijuana to excess and posed a danger to the public, state records show.