Cobia v. Abon

CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedJune 8, 2021
Docket1 CA-CV 19-0547
StatusUnpublished

This text of Cobia v. Abon (Cobia v. Abon) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cobia v. Abon, (Ark. Ct. App. 2021).

Opinion

NOTICE: NOT FOR OFFICIAL PUBLICATION. UNDER ARIZONA RULE OF THE SUPREME COURT 111(c), THIS DECISION IS NOT PRECEDENTIAL AND MAY BE CITED ONLY AS AUTHORIZED BY RULE.

IN THE ARIZONA COURT OF APPEALS DIVISION ONE

APRIL COBIA, Plaintiff/Appellant,

v.

ARIZONA BOARD OF NURSING, Defendant/Appellee.

No. 1 CA-CV 19-0547 FILED 6-8-2021

Appeal from the Superior Court in Maricopa County No. LC2018-000334-001 The Honorable Sigmund G. Popko, Judge Pro Tempore

AFFIRMED

COUNSEL

April Cobia, Anchorage, Alaska Plaintiff/Appellant

Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Phoenix By Sunita A. Krishna Counsel for Defendant/Appellee

MEMORANDUM DECISION

Presiding Judge Lawrence F. Winthrop delivered the decision of the Court, in which Judge Maria Elena Cruz and Judge David B. Gass joined. COBIA v. ABON Decision of the Court

W I N T H R O P, Judge:

¶1 April Cobia (“Cobia”) appeals the superior court’s order affirming revocation of her registered nursing license by the Arizona State Board of Nursing (“the Board”). Cobia argues the superior court erred by not properly considering the law related to mandatory reporting of vulnerable adults, protection of religious rights, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”). She also contends the court improperly relied on falsified or altered documents and hearsay evidence in making its decision. To the contrary, the record here is replete with multiple and repetitive instances of conduct potentially or actually harmful to patients, co-workers, and the public, in clear violation of the Nurse Practice Act (“the Act”). Cobia was afforded more than sufficient due process throughout administrative and judicial proceedings. Accordingly, we affirm the revocation of her registered nursing license.

FACTS1 AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

I. Licensure and Prior Board Discipline

¶2 Cobia was licensed as a registered nurse on February 5, 2002. On April 29, 2006, Cobia entered a Consent Agreement and Board Order, which placed her registered nursing license on probation for a period of twenty-four months after she admitted she falsified medical record entries related to a patient’s blood sugar levels and rate of infusion of an insulin drip.

¶3 On September 23, 2009, Cobia consented to a second agreement and order, which extended her probation for an additional twelve months.2 In evaluating whether to extend her probation, the Board found Cobia had been involuntarily terminated from a recent job without possibility of rehire because of interpersonal conflicts. The Board also considered the evaluation of a psychologist, who recommended Cobia’s

1 We view the evidence in the light most favorable to upholding the Board’s decision. Baca v. Ariz. Dep’t of Econ. Sec., 191 Ariz. 43, 46 (App. 1997).

2 Both agreements included a provision stating Cobia “admits the Board’s Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law.” The facts surrounding these incidents are not in dispute and the validity of the agreements is not a subject of this appeal.

2 COBIA v. ABON Decision of the Court

probation be extended, her interactions with co-workers be monitored, and she continue to attend designated counseling.

II. Cornerstone Health Care

¶4 In May 2014, Cobia was hired by Cornerstone Health Care (“Cornerstone”), a home-health provider serving vulnerable patients. On May 21, 2014, Cobia called Adult Protective Services (“APS”) on a patient’s wife to make a report of potential adult abuse, but failed to report the call to her supervisor, as required by Cornerstone’s written policy. Cobia received a verbal warning related to the incident, which noted employees have the right to contact APS when they suspect abuse, but must report such referral to an immediate supervisor; Cobia refused to sign an acknowledgement of the warning. In the following months, Cobia was involved in multiple conflicts with patients, resulting in additional written warnings.3 In October 2014, Cobia personally transported a patient to the emergency room but, contrary to Cornerstone’s policy, did not notify her supervisor that the patient was transferred. Following this incident, Cornerstone terminated Cobia for failing to coordinate patient care with agency supervisors on multiple occasions. Cornerstone also reported Cobia to the Board.

III. Mountain Vista Medical Center

¶5 In January 2016, Cobia began working at Mountain Vista Medical Center (“Mountain Vista”). In her employment application for Mountain Vista, Cobia noted her reason for leaving Cornerstone was “school”—she did not disclose that her employment had been terminated. As part of orientation, Mountain Vista paired Cobia with a preceptor who gave her assignments, followed her through the day, and checked her work quality. Cobia complained about her first preceptor and was assigned to a second preceptor. The second preceptor worked with Cobia for approximately one week, but refused to continue the assignment after Cobia became argumentative. A third preceptor worked with Cobia and documented additional patient care concerns. None of the preceptors who

3 The record submitted as part of the subsequent administrative hearing also shows Cobia made improper entries in patient medical records during this time. One such entry read, “I do not take orders from speech therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, LNPs, CNAs, cows, chickens or roosters, dogs or cats of any kind. I take orders only from M.D.s, D.O.s, and NPs.”

3 COBIA v. ABON Decision of the Court

worked with Cobia would confirm she was competent, noting Cobia’s problems with drawing blood, time management, administering medication, keeping accurate documentation, arguing with authority, improperly interacting with patients and their families, and constantly speaking poorly of past employers and the Board. On or about February 9, 2016, Cobia was involuntarily terminated without possibility for rehire based on patient safety concerns and her inability to perform the basic functions of an ICU nurse.4

IV. Southwest Network

¶6 In late May 2016, Cobia was hired by Southwest Network (“Southwest”). On her employment application for Southwest, she listed her reason for leaving Cornerstone as “temporary work” and her reason for leaving Mountain Vista as “schedule not working.” Cobia did not disclose her involuntary termination from either facility. Soon after Cobia started at Southwest, co-workers reported she was hostile, aggressive, paranoid, refused to listen or follow directions, and spoke of having a gun and a concealed carry permit on multiple occasions. Based on these reports, Cobia was involuntarily terminated with no possibility of rehire after only nine days of work.

V. Curo Health Services

¶7 On June 26, 2017, Cobia began working as a home-health nurse with Curo Health Services (“Curo”). Cobia’s trainer for the position reported Cobia seemed paranoid. For example, Cobia placed tape over the camera of the company-issued tablet and said the sound should be turned off on the tablet to prevent “corporate” from monitoring employees. Cobia also told her trainer that the bag she used for work was a gun bag. In the following month, as documented by the employer, Cobia had negative interactions with co-workers, patients, and patients’ families. Cobia’s trainer, as well as Curo’s chaplain, noted Cobia had made disparaging comments to a patient about the patient’s Mormon faith, which was particularly inappropriate because Cobia was providing end-of-life care at a time many patients find solace in their religious beliefs. The chaplain also reported that Cobia made concerning statements about guns and about

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Cobia v. Abon, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cobia-v-abon-arizctapp-2021.