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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 30, 2020)
NEWS MyEagleNews.com Wednesday, September 30, 2020 A3 Clark makes plea for reinstatement at hospital board meeting Nursing director says situation appears to be ‘calculated public humiliation’ By Steven Mitchell Blue Mountain Eagle Longtime medical provider Shawna Clark, who was placed on paid administrative leave last month for adding something to her medical records in violation of Blue Mountain Hospital District policy, requested to be reinstated Thursday at the district’s board of director’s meeting. Clark, a family nurse practi- tioner, said in a statement to the board that she accessed her own chart with a phlebotomist witness- ing and put in an order in her pro- vider’s name for fasting blood work that she said her provider had already ordered. “I accessed my own medical record. After hours. When I had been checked in as a patient, my blood was drawn. And there were no orders, despite the fact that they were sent twice over the month prior by my provider,” she said. Clark said the accessing of her own medical records was not what she was at the board meeting to dis- The Eagle/Steven Mitchell The Eagle/Steven Mitchell Family nurse practioner Shawna Clark addressed the hospital board Thursday at the Blue Mountain Hos- pital. Clark, who was placed on paid administrative leave in July, asked to be reinstated. Deborah Morris, director of nursing at Blue Mountain Hospital, addresses the hospital’s board Thursday during its monthly meeting. pute. She said she was witnessed accessing her records and that she knew she was violating an internal policy. “I assumed that I would be given the reasonable opportunity to explain, which I was not given prior to being asked to leave the facility while I had two patients roomed and waiting,” she said. Clark said she is not a safety concern and that she had given over nine years to the district. “I’ve been loyal,” she said. “You have always got way more out of me work-wise than you’ve ever paid me for. And I am asking for reinstatement. I believe I deserve it. This is not a competency thing. It’s not a competency issue.” Thursday before the meeting, Clark said she had met with district CEO Derek Daly about a separation agreement. “Derek and I have had sev- eral meetings and have attempted to work some something out. But there’s also the question of what type of privileges I’m allowed to have in our facility, other than ancillary services. So I’m not going to be able to provide the same level of service to my patients that I have been providing — that’s not accept- able. So I’m asking for reinstate- ment,” she said. Board chair Amy Kreger thanked Clark for coming and said the board would need to talk about Clark’s statement in a closed exec- utive session. The board took no immediate action. Clark gave the board additional documents related to the inci- dent, including a self-report of the incident to the Oregon Board of Nursing. Clark said she was told by the hospital that if she did not self-re- port to the board of nursing that it would “look really bad.” Clark said she meets with the state board of nursing about the incident Oct. 8. She said the nursing board meets the first week of the month and that they will not meet again until the first week of November to review her case. Deborah Morris, hospital dis- trict director of nursing, said Clark being placed on paid administrative leave appears to be “calculated pub- lic humiliation.” “Why would you remove a pro- vider in the middle of the day when they have patients waiting?” she said. “I’m sorry but this has created a lot of distrust within our organization.” In a letter to the board, Morris said “justice does not appear to be admin- istered equally within our organiza- tion.” Morris said five staff mem- bers told her they have accessed their medical records, or a family mem- ber’s medical record, without being reprimanded. Morris said she supervised an employee she believed was engag- ing in an illegal activity and, despite numerous ongoing complaints, the employee was not terminated until many months after being spoken to about the activity. “(Clark) was not a liability to the organization,” Morris said in the let- ter. “... It makes me believe that there must be some hidden agenda. I do not believe that the punishment fits the infraction. This situation has dam- aged trust within our organization along with damaging public percep- tion regarding our hospital.” Daly declined to discuss the issue, stating it is the protocol of the district to not comment on an active person- nel matter. County affirms public records request policy Court forgoes payroll tax deferral By Steven Mitchell Blue Mountain Eagle The Grant County Court said Wednesday that all public records requests to all county departments would need to go through county court mem- bers in the future. The county adopted a pub- lic records policy Aug. 14, 2019. Additionally, Grant County Commissioner Sam Palmer said that if one media orga- nization asks for a reduction or waiver of fees, all other organizations should get fees waived. The Eagle/Steven Mitchell County Roadmaster Allen Hickerson addresses Grant County Court Sept. 23. Court moves to forgo payroll tax deferral Laurie Wright, Grant County human resources man- ager, requested the court forgo payroll tax deferral, which would have allowed county employees to defer their social security tax payment temporarily. Last month, she said, Pres- ident Donald Trump issued a memorandum directing the Treasury Department to allow employers to defer pay- ment of Social Security pay- roll taxes for employees mak- ing less than $4,000 every two weeks. Wright said the problem The Eagle/Steven Mitchell Grant County Justice of the Peace Kathy Stinnett requests funding to hire another employee Sept. 23 during a session of Grant County Court. with allowing county employ- ees to defer the payroll tax is that ultimately the employees would have to pay the money back. Grant County Commis- sioner Jim Hamsher said allowing employees to defer the payroll tax would “cause a hardship” in Janu- ary when employees would be required to pay the money back. Wright said allowing the deferral would double the deductions in the new year. County Judge Scott Myers said the court voted “yes, to say no” to allowing employ- ees to defer the payroll tax. In other county news: • The court approved the renewal of its membership with the Association of Ore- gon Counties. • The court approved the extension of its contract with TRANSFER STATION Office Hours: 11am to 2pm Monday–Friday Shops Garages Commercial MEAT & GREET Friday, October 9, 2020 5–8pm Republican Cliff Bentz Republican JoRae Perkins Sheriff Candidates Glenn Palmer, Todd McKinley Just to name a few. S208893-1 Industrial DISPOSAL www.WSBNW.com 855 • 668 • 7211 S206633-1 NEW HOURS STARTING NOVEMBER 1ST Wednesday–Saturday 9am to 4:30pm Grant County Republican Party BBQ Dinner to meet the Candidates $10.00 per plate or $30.00 for Family of 4+ Where: Smith Residence, 30597 N River Rd, Prairie City From Prairie City, go East on Hwy 26. Follow the flags & signs with arrows. C L A R K’ S Steel on the inside where it matters most. Blue Mountain Community College. Palmer pointed out a potential conflict of interest as an alumni of BMCC. Myers said he appreciated him point- ing that out, but he did not see a conflict of interest since he would not be benefiting from the vote. • Grant County Justice of the Peace Kathy Stin- nett requested funding for a part-time employee to assist with collections. The court approved the request. • The court approved the Road Department’s request for the purchase of an electric snowplow. 541-575-0432 Sandy, OR S199198-1 FIRST FRIDAY - DOWNTOWN JOHN DAY PRESENTS A MAN WAKES UP in the morning after sleeping on... an advertised bed, in advertised pajamas. Blue Mountain Eagle MyEagleNews.com Friday Oct. 2nd 6pm to 8pm WE MIGHT NOT HAVE CHARLIE BROWN, BUT WE DO HAVE THE GREATEST PUMPKIN HUNT AROUND! THAT’S RIGHT THE GREAT PUMPKIN HUNT IS BACK FOR THE 4TH YEAR IN A ROW! Participating this year are: etc.; The Ugly Truth Bar & Grill; Java Jungle; House to Home; High Desert Office Equipment; The Floor Store; A Flower Shop N’ More; The Grant County Chamber of Commerce; 1188 Brewing Co.; Radio Shack; Outpost; and The Grubsteak Catering Services Available Breakfast & Lunch Daily Specials S208908-1 He will bathe in an ADVERTISED TUB, shave with an ADVERTISED RAZOR, have a breakfast of ADVERTISED JUICE, cereal and toast, toasted in an ADVERTISED TOASTER, put on ADVERTISED CLOTHES and glance at his ADVERTISED WATCH. He’ll ride to work in his ADVERTISED CAR, sit at an ADVERTISED DESK and write with an ADVERTISED PEN. Yet this person hesitates to advertise, saying that advertising doesn’t pay. Finally, when his non-advertised business is going under, HE’LL ADVERTISE IT FOR SALE. Then it’s too late. AND THEY SAY ADVERTISING DOESN’T WORK? DON’T MAKE THIS SAME MISTAKE Advertising is an investment, not an expense. Think about it! THE GREAT PUMPKIN HUNT Don’t get left behind, call today! Kim Kell 541-575-0710 Follow us on Facebook S209607-1 S206499-1
