http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/news/2008/mar/05/nurses-surrender-licenses/
The Nevada State Board of Nursing reports that five certified nurse
anesthetists voluntarily surrendered their licenses Wednesday pending
the
resolution of an investigation into dangerous and irresponsible
injection
practices at Endoscopy Center of Nevada, which led to the largest
hepatitis
C scare in the nation.
Health officials say 40,000 people are at risk of hepatitis B, C and
HIV
because nurses used syringes more than once when administering
anesthetic to
individual patients, which contaminated medicine vials. Then, the
nurses
used the vials, which were intended for single use, on multiple
patients,
passing on infection.
Six people have been infected with hepatitis C because of the
injections.
Nurses told health officials they were ordered to reuse syringes and
single-dose medicine vials by their boss, Dr. Dipak Desai, one of
Nevada's
most powerful and politically connected physicians. Desai allegedly
asked
them to perform the dangerous procedures in order to save money,
health
officials were told by the nurses.
The Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners is also investigating the
situation, as are Metro police and the District Attorney's Office.
