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Show Lake Tribune UTAH Friday June 2, 1995 The Salt BS State Seeks Sanctions Against Gunnison Doctor Agency Says Physician Gave Testosterone Shots to a Co-Worker By Anne Wilson THESALT LAKE TRIBUNE A Gunnison physician, sued by a nurse for alleged sexual harassment, now has been accusedby state licensingofficials of giving the womaninjectionsoftestosteroneto “enhance herlibido.” The Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL) claims sale in the prison Onthreeoccasions that month, Ander the injections were inappropriate andis seeking sanctions against Von S. Pratt's sales, the DOPL alleges, Pratt and Ander- son had an “intimate” relationship. At the time, Pratt was Anderson's family son sold pot, cocaine or codeine to police medical licenses. But the agency also has targeted the nurse whosuedPratt, Melody Jo Glade Anderson, claiming she should be disciplined becauseshepleadedguilty to felony drug-related charges. Pratt and Andersonworkedtogether at the Central Utah Prison Facility in Gunnison in 1993-94. According to DOPL physician and provided marital counsel- or an undercover agent, prosecutors con tend. Anderson was fired and subse ing. He also was the president of her Mor- quently indicted. She pleaded guilty in Octoberto “arranging todistribute a con: trolled substance,” a third-degreefelony She was sentenced to prison, but the term wasreducedto 60days injail and a 36-month probation Anderson's attorney, Dale Dorius of Brigham City, could not be reached for documents, prison officials began investi- gating Anderson in April 1994 after inmates reported she was smuggling drugs, drug paraphernalia and cigarettes for comment Wednesday For several months prior to the drug ate under Utah medical standards of care Pratt, who set up private practice after being forcedto resign from theprisonjob mon Churchstake At least once, Pratt injected Anderson with testosterone “purportedly to enhance her libido and correct the sexual dysfunctionin her marriage,” the DOPL alleges. Pratt did not document his diag- nosis and recommendedtreatment in Anderson’s patient chart, but DOPL contends “useof testoseronefor this purpose is not generally recognized as appropri- last July, declined to comment ‘Two months ago. Anderson filed a law suit in 3rd District Court, accusing state Department of Corrections officials of setting her up for a smuggling sting and Pratt of making unwanted sexual ad vances. Anderson claims she was in a vulnerable state of mind’ because of Pratt's behavior and couldnot resist an inmate's request that she supply him with contraband The DOPL claims Anderson and Pratt are guilty of unprofessional conduct Sanctions that could be applied by the agencyinclude license probation, suspen sion or revocation U. Hospital Solves Bacterial Outbreak HOMELIFE | NAT .UOR-E Le Oc Se 9 By Lee Siegel THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Bacteria able to resist a powerful antibiotic afflicted more than a dozen patients at University Hospital during an outbreak that lasted a year because the organisms survived in a hospital sink. The outbreak, which ended last November, didn't cause any deaths, infectious-disease physician Marion Woods,the ho: ‘ ‘#pidemiologist, said Wednesday Three or four of the patients Zot sicker, but were successfully treated with other antibiotics, he said you use em (and with peng $ just 2 weeks erie Hospital-acquired infections among patients are common, and the university didn't make anyan‘houncement when the outbreak Started in late 1993 Put this particular outbreak involved Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria that developed resistance to imipenem, aninjectable antibiotic sold under the brand name Primaxin. For that reason, ‘Woods said the Utah outbreak ‘was the subjectofa scientific presentation last week at the American Society for Microbiology’s annual meeting in Washington. The Acinetobacter baumannii bacterium “is very common in Europe and the east coast of the United States and is a frequent colonizer of burn-traumaunits, hesaid. Strains resistant to imipenem previously have been reported in France, New York and NewJersey. Woods said the bacteria colonized theskin of 12 to 15 patients at the hospital, two in the neurocritical care unit and the rest on the burn trauma unit Thebacteria entered the hospital on a foreign patient who was burned during anoil-field accident and was brought to Utah for treatment. Analysis of geneticin- formation from the bacteria on other afflicted patients indicated the were the same | Woods said | Our analysis indicatesit prob: ably was transferred by nurses | whohad to work in bothunits,” he said | The outbreak persisted because | Acinetobacter, which survive on wet surfaces, got onto the clothes | or gowns of health-care workers who used a poorly designed sink in the burn unit. People had to lean over the sink to reach the "Friday ane Saturday oe Bring in these coupons today and tomorrow for special savings on all regular-priced recliners, like this one, plus leather, swivel, rocker, glider, chaise, wing chair, massage or heat! Lots Catnapper," Action/Lane,* and more. Savings available only with these coupons, 80. i a aw = faucet, getting contaminated water on their garb, then spread ing the bacteria when they touched burn patients, said ‘The sink was redesigned, and ended, although there have been some sporadic cases since November, most re centlyin April, hesaid # yee } organisms strain as those on the oil worker. The bacteria likely spread among patients and from the burn unit to the neuro unit when more than one patient was touched by health-care workers or visitors Make your own sale! | Make your own sale! SAVE re ’ all recliners 399.99 & under Save® 50 re save? JH all recliners over S00 | ony with this all recliners “400-499.99 4 only with this coupon. Rocker haise, leather, massage styles and more! only with this coupon, Rocker, swivel glider chaise, massagestyles, more! mae eared sil Make your ownsale! ; the outbreak We'regoing to seethis one pe riodically,”” Woods said, noting otherbacterial species common in burn units include Staphylococ ee & hase leather litt styles and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Acinetobacter are very mon in the environment, people often ‘ash value |/20¢ com Not redeemable for cath © and oe “have this on our skin, in our mouths and in our bowels,” he said The scientific paper presented CurrentpricesoF finance options do nol apply to previous purchases. Some lleaw not srrnderileeereas Allow reasonabintime lor delivery. Prices do nol include home dalivery. Pickup avaliable a! our tentrat feee in Washington said the bacteria colonized and infected the pa tients. But Woodssaid the bacte ria only colonized the patients meaningit lived on their skin %, mi Pei them by entering theirdidn't bloodstreams The study was presented by Punam Verma, a clinical microbi Satire ology fellow at the University of es Utah and Associated Regional and University Pathologists (ARUP). She conducted the study with Woods and Karen Carroll, 4 physician who directs ARUP mi crobiology latheratory =I ‘aie = i 957 N. Main St.. , of Hilifield & North Main (801) 546-676 ) 846-676 Hours: ME 1OAM-OPM Sat 10aM-7em \ #34 @* a \& j| NX \ muni NW corner § be Saravane you need my bring your HometoLite 6616 South 900 East Hours: M-Sat,ly10AM-9PM pn jun. 12PM-6I Sun. L1AM4PM *% oe f en [Hugs ovaiiabie af Tih this Homeite siore CALLAL1-800-7338TVLE 1-800-733-ST YUE FOR| FOR THE ij ” ey |
