State leaders pushing for stricter medical background checks
State regulators are pushing for stricter requirements when it comes to medical professionals obtaining a license in Colorado. This comes after the recent federal drug-theft conviction of surgical tech Rocky Allen.
Fingerprint checks are a requirement in most states, but Colorado is one of five states where it isn’t. Instead, normal background checks are performed.
For April Rodgers, a freshman nursing student at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, the medical field is her calling.
“I’ve wanted to be a nurse since I was 3 years old,” she said.
Rodgers is studying to become a registered nurse. She agrees with state regulators to require stricter background checks for doctors, nurses and others in the medical field.
“I was actually watching a story the other day about a nurse that kidnapped a baby from a hospital, so I think they should crack down on that,” Rodgers said.
American Medical Response in Colorado Springs already has similar measures in place.
“All of our employees are background-checked by the state of Colorado,” said Jon Webb, the operations supervisor at AMR.
They’re also required to sign a self-disclosure form about past criminal activity.
“I think it’s important for integrity. We’re going in and out of people’s homes on a daily basis. The citizens need to have a trust in the people taking care of them,” Webb said.
But what if the applicant lies? Over the years, nurses with criminal convictions in other states have moved to Colorado for work.
Most recently, Rocky Allen, a surgical tech, stole syringes filled with painkillers from the Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colorado. He was fired and convicted to a little over 6 years in prison.
Kacye Unruh, a former University of Colorado hospital nurse, was also caught and suspended after stealing vials of painkillers and replacing them with other substances.
It’s because of stories like these that state leaders are pushing for change.
If it passes, it would not just affect those currently in the medical field but also those pursuing a degree. UCCS nursing students say for them, patient safety is priority.
“The patients are looking for someone they can trust and want to know who they are working with,” said Crystal Contreras, a sophomore at UCCS.
There are more than 81,000 nurses in Colorado, while this measure would help crack down on criminals, it wouldn’t prevent it completely.
“Preventable, a little. A hundred percent, no. Because things happen over a course of time. You can hire someone with a clean record and throughout their employment things can go sour for whatever reasons,” Webb said.
