Hastings and Barry County recently endured a tragedy that could have been avoided with a little common sense and application of appropriate theology by someone who professes loudly, proudly and arrogantly to be a Christian.
The sad and shocking story of the fall from grace of Pennock Hospital CEO Harry Doele was told by local and area newspapers and on nearby metropolitan TV stations. Doele, a pharmacist by trade, indeed has been accused of stealing a pain killing drug from the Pennock pharmacy, which if true is a violation of law and he must be punished (and Doele is reported to have pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor charge yesterday in court). However, it appears the already-inflicted punishment isn’t fitting the alleged crime, a common affliction in our “git tuff” society these days. Because of his weakness in committing a crime that harmed no one, he has lost his job and has been disgraced in the community he lived and worked in for more than 30 years, in addition to whatever penalty he faces in court.
The Pennock Board of Directors, led by High Priest Bruce Gee, one of the most self righteous among the local Pharisees, has deemed that Pennock’s CEO has committed a crime, shall be punished and must be exiled. Gee, a local attorney who subscribes heavily to the paternalistic “spare the rod and spoil the child” religious philosophy not unlike Pat Robertson, has successfully helped coordinate Doele’s fall from grace and banishment. It’s all a tragedy because this was a golden opportunity for Gee and his brethren to practice their professed Christian faith by publicly acknowledging their CEO’s problem and rebuking him, but then extending him the hand of compassion and forgiveness if he rehabilitates himself. No less than Banner Publisher Fred Jacobs has suggested this same idea in a recent “In My Opinion,” but to no avail.
It’s my impression Doele hasn’t been the kind of hard-ass executive we’ve become too accustomed to lately. Unlike his predecessor, Dan Hamilton, who employed a leadership style reminiscent of Attila the Hun, Doele used a kinder, gentler approach in which he seemed to believe if most everyone who worked at or did business with Pennock actually liked the place, they’d work their behinds off for its benefit. Pennock’s public image got a big boost when Hamilton took a hike a couple of years ago and Doele took over the top spot. I don’t know if he was truly a good boss, but he certainly was highly thought of within the ranks of employees and in the community from people I've spoken with.
Apparently things began to unravel for Doele when he suffered an injury in one of those “Iron Man” competitions he often used to compete in. He later suffered another injury in a traffic accident and was seen wearing a neck brace in public last spring. The medication he’s accused of stealing treats pain and discomfort. While we clearly must recognize Doele violated the law and his position, I fail to see how putting him out to pasture is the appropriate response. If he’s as good an administrator and public relations man for Pennock as I’ve heard, let’s insist he make restitution, pay a fine and perform community service. Then let’s have him rehabilitated and bring him back to work. If we really believe the immortal words of Christ, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone,” then we should put the philosophy into practice.
Yes, I know there are those who say lesser known or liked individuals wouldn’t get such a break. I believe everyone should be given a second chance, especially if the individual has something to offer. I believe the alcoholic who loses his or her job should be given a chance to he healed of the disease and be returned to the work place. Punishment and banishment too often leads to the offender to continue to commit the offenses and cost society even more later in the prison system or perhaps in public assistance. Common sense and true Christian theology call us to recognize the offense, punish the offender appropriately and then make them and society whole again. I suppose that sounds like namby-pamby liberal thinking. Yet it makes better sense philosophically and economically than the way of the Pharisees.
It appears Harry Doele will not be welcome to come back to Pennock again, unless it’s as a patient. About the only chance he had of saving his job would have been to suck up to Gee, go to his church, cry crockodile tears like Jimmy Swaggart produced to his flock after being caught with a prostitute, get down on his knees and beg profusely for forgiveness, testify in front of the congregation like Brian Calley did and tell everyone he’s found the Lord. Even then I’m not certain Gee and his ilk would offer him the gift of compassion and forgiveness.
When the news about Doele broke, Gee and the Pennock Board of Directors refused to comment on or acknowledge their CEO’s resignation, demonstrating the customary corporate evasion of the truth. Now they’re searching for a new leader and won’t even consider bringing Doele back. I hope they don’t go back to the Hamilton school of leadership. As I said earlier, this is a sad story in which everybody is a loser — Doele, the hospital, the board and ultimately the community.
I can't help but wonder how a good man like the Rev. Michael Anton, a Pennock Board member, feels about all of this?
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27 comments:
I truely like the sentiment,and I think Doele may be a gifted CEO, but I have to wonder how many people Mr. Doele has had to let go for simular, or lesser infractions.
This is not a unilateral decision, as far as I know, it is policy. Hell, I have heard of people being fired there for stealing as much as a roll of toilet paper.
If what I heard on local radio is true M.Doele pleaded guilty to larceny from a building. If true it may well be a felony and not a misdemeanor.
The sweetheart deal Doele got seems to have eliminated the ILLEGAL DRUG component. It seems that where the folks on the hill are concerned the old double standard is alive and well.
A less well positioned citizen who was caught stealing at least the 100 bottles attributed to Mr. Doele
would face drug charges as well as theft. See the Banner now and then when prescriptions have been altered. For example...the ordinary citizen caught in the same circumstance would, among other things loose his/her drivers license leading to a cycle of being caught driving to work to pay fines and being suspended agan and again.
This ordinary citizen might well be given the opportunity to participate in Drug Court.
But, MrDoele is not like the ordinary citizen.
And for the record I have long advocated the end of the fruitless criminal prosecution of people using drugs and make the medical problem of drugs be treated like a medical problem.
BUT the blatant double standard extended to Mr. Doele should offend anyone concerned with the pursuit of equal justice.
He was not merely stealing things from his employer. He was stealing drugs.
Mah, mah, mah!
"...true Christian theology call us to recognize the offense, punish the offender appropriately "
Was this Homer Q. Christ of Leesburger, Florida? Wasn't he the originator of Private Prisons for Youth?
Perhaps you could enlighten me with Chapter and Verse of this Cracker Christianity.
Punish the Offender!
Homer Q. Christ, dba
Private Prisons for Youth (PPY)
Leesburgher, FL 66666
1984
I live in Barry County, and work as an RN outside of the county.
While a Christian is urged to forgive, the law does not. Without the law there is anarchy. Our forebears who were by and large strong Protestant Christian also set up our legal system and the US Constitution to reflect their belief that man was not infallible, this goes back to their Calvinism, and while God, not unlike a parent, loves his children, he also knows that at times discipline is essential. That is something liberal Christians forget and something secular progressives rarely understand.
In the world of healthcare, a place I have spent the majority of my adult life in, what the CEO of Pennock did was a breach of trust that is essential to have with patients and their family members. A nurse who did this would most likely not only be embarrassed in their community but also would have to go in front of the state board and explain why their license should not be taken away thus losing their livlihood, not to mention the criminal charges. Nurses in this state have lost licenses for less.
While it may be appropriate for Christians in the community to pray for Mr. Doele, it is not the business of any Christian members or non Christian members to opt for what type of punishment this man deserves, that is for the legal system and the legal system alone. If we do not allow the legal system to work why bother having one? Instead good Christians will simply forgive and forget, but never punish regardless of the crime? To believe this is appropriate is to misread the bible, which is to be taken in it's entirty, not just the New Testament.
I am quite sure that Mr. Doele could ask for and recieve forgiveness in a church, where that belongs. It is not up to the board to do what you so sarcasically call for it to do. The board is to run Pennock for the good of it's patients. That is what a hospital is for, as a nurse I tell you that strongly.
It is very unfortunate that you are unable to understand the difference.
Well, red, it's nice to hear from a new scribe. When the Calvinists landed, they found a New World being invaded deeply by Jesuits, who were also well red.
I would suggest that having a legal system doesn't prove that it works good, any more than having a Bible and plucking conjecture at random provides enlightenment.
Last time I checked, there were very few Calvinists in the Old Testament, and even fewer Christians.
Showing up with your teeth bared may not be your best effort. Try again with some civility.
The laws of Jesus trump nothing but to the believer in this society. The "Laws" of Jesus do not govern the society but only those who CHOOSE to accept them, Unlike the LAW of the land...we are not yet a theocracy!
I read the posting through three times before deciding to respond to it. It is clearly sarcastic in tone towards those who profess to believe in Christianity. A copy of the original- "The Pennock Board of Directors, led by High Priest Bruce Gee, one of the most self righteous among the local Pharisees, has deemed that Pennock’s CEO has committed a crime, shall be punished and must be exiled. Gee, a local attorney who subscribes heavily to the paternalistic “spare the rod and spoil the child” religious philosophy not unlike Pat Robertson, has successfully helped coordinate Doele’s fall from grace and banishment. It’s all a tragedy because this was a golden opportunity for Gee and his brethren to practice their professed Christian faith by publicly acknowledging their CEO’s problem and rebuking him, but then extending him the hand of compassion and forgiveness if he rehabilitates himself. No less than Banner Publisher Fred Jacobs has suggested this same idea in a recent “In My Opinion,” but to no avail."
This man took some 100 bottles of pain medication, in the healthcare world that is called Diversion of Drugs, a nice euphemism to note someone stole drugs that can make one just as high as an illegal street drugs. In the healthcare world this is an offense that generally loses the healthcare worker their license to practice. Mr. Gee did not deem Mr. Doele be punished the law does, Mr. Doele's licensure does. As a pharmacist Mr. Doele should have lost that licensure as well as the administrators licensure he is required to also hold. There are specific reasons that those who hold the lives of YOU AND YOUR loved ones in their hands are required to be
licensed. Mr. Doele committed a severe breach of trust. This is the man you really want making decisions that affect how the healthcare for much of Barry county is done? Not me. I have been an RN for 16 years and there are some things that have to be the way they are in healthcare, it is for your safety, for your loved ones safety and frankly for mine and other healthcare workers as well. One of those things is that Diversion of Drugs is not only illegal, it is supposed to lose your licesure as well, not to mention possible jail time. Every quarter the state of Michigan issues a newsletter with the names and offenses of those in healthcare who have lost their licenses for offenses like those that Mr. Doele committed, as well as other offenses that can lose a license such as medicare fraud.(might be a good time to mention Pennock got dinged in 2003 after being investigated for medicare fraud, they paid a fine to make it go away) Every nursing home in the state gets a copy as do hospitals. Those in healthcare understand all this and behave according.
Now what I quoted from the original article is certainly very sarcastic and biting. As one poster noted, we do not live in a theocracy and irregardless of what Mr. Bruce Gee felt personally, the law is what the law is and it is very important here to understand there are very specific guidelines beyond general law that regulate the licenses of those who practice in the healthcare arena. Even if on a personal level Mr. Gee would have preferred to not press any charges etc... to do what this post suggests would have most likely led to disaster for Pennock. That is something the board could not have happen. The board acted in the best interests of the hospital and therefore the community, which is exactly what the board should do.
What irritated me was the sanctiomonous attitude of the post, it screams a person cannot be a true christian if they can't just forgive, after all Mr. Doele is such a nice man, much nicer than the previous CEO. Which is complete bunk. Not civil enough for el grillo? The post itself was not particularly civil was it? I am also very aware that there are no Calvinist in the old Testament anymore than there are any Catholics, Lutherans, Baptists and so on. What I was attempting to note was how the laws in this country including the US Constitution came to be. A large part of that is indeed because of the Calvinist belief in the fallibility of man. It is a large part of why this country has a Constitution and style of Govt that is no where else but in this country. But if you want to get into a debate on history ok, it's one of my favorite subjects. As far as the Calvinists finding the Jesuits here, I remember my third grade Michigan history, but thanks.
We all have to live within laws, social belief systems and those of us in healthcare have the extra burden of what our licensure is and what the expectations are to be able to take care of other human beings. Mr. Doele failed that test. As one person to another I may have empathy for the man as I understand chronic pain, having watched my mom suffer with it for some 25 years. What I do not have empathy for is for someone to abuse the trust other healthcare people gave him, the community gave him, and the state gave him by issuing him a license, two in fact. Is it an unforgivable offense? No. It is one however that deserves punishment and for him to lose his career in healthcare. You would be hard pressed to find many healthcare people who feel differently.
One last thing I wish to note, nearly 90% of the American population note themselves to be Christians. It is however a very big mistake to lump them together in their belief systems, and I am not simply talking about the dogmas of one or another or rather some have smells and bells and other do not. There are 33,000 plus sects of Christianity in this world, and I would guess more than half of those are practiced in this country. It has become perfectly acceptable in wide circles in this country to label anyone who professes Christianity as some sort of nut and too often it is perfectly acceptable to ridicule that faith a person has, as is quite evident in this posting. I find it to be as obnoxious as racism, and answer it the same way as I believe racism should be answered. Perhaps not entirely civil el grillo, but I don't find this kind of sarcasim directed towards someones faith very civil either.
Somewhat more civil, however you may want to consider that my suggestion was not personal.
I was actually thinking about the Jesuits that had already killed off most of the indigenous in Latin America 200 years before the Calvinists showed up in Michigan.
I suppose that introducing racism into the deck allows me to point out the rather succesful trade in humans from Africa by our Dutch founding fathers. I don't share your interest in history, as most of it has been written to support one agenda or another. I do have an interest in learning, and am really attracted to the "whole truth".
Hucksterism is the most popular of the "33,000 plus sects of Christianity in this world".
It is comments such as the last Sir, that are uncalled for. You may not have faith, which because you were fortunate enough to be born in the United States no one from the state will hunt you down and kill you, or behead you for apostasy, but at least have some manners and common courtesy for those who do.
While you note that you have no real interest in history, I could already tell that otherwise you would be more knowledgeable about that which you speak of instead of using other peoples talking points. You want the whole truth? Well here it is. In fact disease killed off more natives in North and South America than did any wars or any other acts by caucasions. Ever hear of the Erie Indians or know anything about them? Even scholars know almost nothing about them because other Indian tribes killed them all off by the late 1600's. So much for the myth that only the awful Christian whites commit crimes. However, if you really feel there should be some compensation for the natives some hundreds of years after the fact, go ahead and give your own land and property back, perhaps that will atone some, don't particularly want to do that? How shocking. Or maybe we should just all go back to where we started. In that case I think the Franks should get the hell out of France and give it back to the Celts, the Saxons should get the hell out of England and go back to Saxony, the Scots can leave Scotland and let the Picts have it again. The-well you get the picture. Course by this time just where should each of us go? New Americans may be ethically just one thing, but most of us are this and that.
It is also a fact that the blacks captured and sent to America as slaves where primarily captured by Arab traders or other blacks as a way to decrease their enemies strength, wars of attrition so to speak. By and large there were no Dutch ancestors out beating the bush for them. Use your moral indigation ON ALL instead of the few you prefer to target to further an agenda that is just as bigoted as any, it is simply an acceptable bigotry. I might also note that slavery continues today in Sudan, again it is the Arabs enslaving blacks, and that Saudi Arabia only made slavery illegal in 1962, nearly a hundred years after America's civil war. No one in their religion spoke out against slavery as indeed happened in this country, it was not the secular progressives who help start the Civil War, it was religious Christians who believed as sin was being committed. In fact, in the interest of truth and all, John Brown, a deeply religious man, who could even be described as a zeolot, certainly if he lived today that's what you would call him, is the one person that could reasonably be pointed out as having launched the Civil War in this country. A quick copy/paste if you will.
Born in Torrington, Connecticut on May 9, 1800, John Brown was the son of a wandering New Englander. Brown spent much of his youth in Ohio, where he was taught in local schools to resent compulsory education and by his parents to revere the Bible and hate slavery. As a boy he herded cattle for Gen. William Hull's army during the war of 1812; later he served as foreman of his family's tannery. In 1820 he married Dianthe Lusk, who bore him 7 children; 5 years later they moved to Pennsylvania to operate a tannery of their own. Within a year after Dianthe's death in 1831, Brown wed 16-year-old Mary Anne Day, by whom he fathered 13 more children.
During the next 24 years Brown built and sold several tanneries, speculated in land sales, raised sheep, and established a brokerage for wool growers. Every venture failed, for he was too much a visionary, not enough a businessman. As his financial burdens multiplied, his thinking became increasingly metaphysical and he began to brood over the plight of the weak and oppressed. He frequently sought the company of blacks, for 2 years living in a freedmen's community in North Elba, N.Y. In time he became a militant abolitionist, a "conductor" on the Underground Railroad, and the organizer of a self-protection league for free blacks and fugitive slaves.
By the time he was 50, Brown was entranced by visions of slave uprisings, during which racists paid horribly for their sins, and he came to regard himself as commissioned by God to make that vision a reality. In Aug. 1855 he followed 5 of his sons to Kansas to help make the state a haven for anti-slavery settlers. The following year, his hostility toward slave-staters exploded after they burned and pillaged the free-state community of Lawrence. Having organized a militia unit within his Osawatomie River colony, Brown led it on a mission of revenge. On the evening of 23 May 1856, he and 6 followers, including 4 of his sons, visited the homes of pro-slavery men along Pottawatomie Creek, dragged their unarmed inhabitants into the night, and hacked them to death with long-edged swords. At once, "Old Brown of Osawatomie" became a feared and hated target of slave-staters.
In autumn 1856, temporarily defeated but still committed to his vision of a slave insurrection, Brown returned to Ohio. There and during 2 subsequent trips to Kansas, he developed a grandiose plan to free slaves throughout the South. Provided with moral and financial support from prominent New England abolitionists, Brown began by raiding plantations in Missouri but accomplished little. In the summer of 1859 he transferred his operations to western Virginia, collected an army of 21 men, including 5 blacks, and on the night of October 16th raided the government armory and arsenal at Harpers Ferry From there he planned to arm the thousands of chattels who, learning of his crusade, would flock to his side. Instead, numerous bands of militia and a company of U.S. Marines under Bvt. Col. Robert E. Lee hastened to the river village, where they trapped the raiders inside the fire-engine house and on the 18th stormed the building. The fighting ended with 10 of Brown's people killed and 7 captured, Brown among them.
After a sensational trial, he was found guilty of treason against Virginia and was hanged at Charlestown, amid much fanfare, Dec. 2, 1859. The stately, fearless, unrepentant manner in which he comported himself in court and on the gallows made him a martyr in parts of the North.
Source: "Historical Times Encyclopedia of the Civil War" Edited by Patricia L. Faust
Imagine a religious zealot did all that to end slavery, certainly it was just a mishap, no good ever really comes from those who are simple hucktsters. Salvation Army, just hucksters asking for your hard earned money so they can party on it. Catholic services, Lutheran Services again much of the same, they fritter away the money given to them and never help a soul. Not one preacher ever helped a lost human being get off drugs or alcohol or to take care of the children they had. Nope all Christians are like Jimmy Swaggert, or Pat Robertson or even (spit) Joel Olsteen.
I suppose what I find utterly amazing is this. Would you, even anon, in this blog write that most (insert any minority you like here) are (insert any blanket statement here)? Not likely, but you have no problem making statements about Christianity that you would not make about minorities. It's ok to be offense to those with faith. I do not agree with most anything that comes out of the mouths of the men I listed above, but you will freely associate me and my beliefs with them or others like them simply because I am a Christian? I also do not agree with the newly elected Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal church, a woman whose first words out of her mouth when elected was "our mother Jesus blah blah blah. Our mother who? She is just as assinine as those above.
It is a mistake on your part to lump so many together that actually have little in common, it is also a mistake to believe that Christianity has had no good impact on the world only bad. Shake a tree hard enough and some nuts are likely to fall out.
Lastly, the "truth" you gave to me has been talked about ad nauseum, in fact this society has damn near been beat to death with it. To get to the WHOLE story, there is no complete "truth" in history because everyone has their own version or side of it per se, but there is a whole story that can be found the good and bad on nearly any historical event or person, one simply has to look for it. You however have no real interest in history, you said so. Instead use the historical club from the lefts side of history and remain blissfully ignorant.
Too bad that Attorney Gee's profession, licensed by the State of Michigan like the pill pushers, doesn't police or hold its licensees to the same "higher" standards many of you want to hold Mr Doele to! The Police,(State not City Police?) investigate Doele while other attornies investigate their own. Nice gig! Isn't the 911 Board "Civilian's" wife now running Pennock? Hmmmmmmmm!
Nice of Judge Fisher to not swear our New Prosecutor Tom Evans in? Quite a snub to me?
Hastings, aka NO CCW permit holders in our City, now after the candy pushers. Ellie, was that you in the Santa outfit in todays Banner? Maybe you can spread your "Gospel" in the County Motel for tossing goodies to the little buggers? Perhaps the other incarcerates will see "your" light?
I thought blogging was todays modern diary of old, not a place you present evidence before a jury of unknowns, to prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt?
Lesson 2 Ellie: Reasonable Cause is sufficient for a warrant to be issued. You do not have to present evidence beyond a reasonable doubt until the Judge or Jury hears it at trial! Class dismissed!
"New prosecutor fires assistant 2nd day of job?" In todays Banner. Anyone know that change was not coming? Wish they would have stated it in terms of the New Prosecutor realigning his Team Members to put the best players on the field.......Go Tigers! Firing sounds so dastardly! Let's support our new man and start out on a positive note, especially on the front page.
Go Tom! Welcome new County Board Members to come!
Sheriff "RANT?" Must have missed my quote on that one!
What higher standard? Last I checked theft was still theft, and illicit drug use, prescription or otherwise was also against the law. The only higher standard is that by virtue of his profession he is licensed by the state of Michigan twice for particular reasons, one of those constitute patient safety or does that not matter?
Are you also saying RN's are simply pill pushers? If so you are incredibly ignorant.
I just read "reds" postings here and while I do have to run off to my work at the VA (treating mental patients there much like here) I will comment this morning and return to finish later in the evening.
Red, you hammer on the punishment side of this Doele thing and forget the rehab part. even Rn's have a "rehab" program for those "caught" at diversion. Several at Pennock have been caught over the years (there are still several that will eventually)and have been run through the state program and about half have retained their licence to practice. Why is Harry not afforded the same chance? If you are going to make an example of him, why not keep going and clean house there at Pennock? (I will comment further as I have an inside point of view on this).
And I hear several in the know in this county think Bruce Gee's reign in this county is slowly drawing to a close. He seems to be failing as an attorney and his influence is drifting too. Lets see what his long term actions are on this before nailing him to the cross, lol.
A couple clarifications.
1. Judge Fisher was in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on a long planned vacation (fly fishing probably). No snub.
2. As for Harry's rehab...He was in a unique position to treat pain as needed. I find it hard to believe that competent medical services were unavailable to him.
3. And Red, you truly should keep in mind that criticism of "Christians" of one stripe or another could very well come from pracitcing Christians themselves. We have me the enemy and they are us. It takes the form of self criticism Red...
The thread begins with the subject of "forgiveness".
I'm really impressed with the reporting of the Amish reaction to the slaughter of their children in Penn.
I suppose that mentioning the word "Amish" will ignite a rabid explosion of historical anecdotes by our theocratic fellow riders.
I can't imagine myself being eager to publicly ask for prayers and forgiveness for a man and his family after having him kill a grand-daughter and her friends. What courageous and sincere faith.
Following the religious outrage, we will probably be subjected to a call for lethal injection of all mentally ill folks, to purify our race.
Warrantless surveillance does not require "reasonable cause" anymore.
I seriously doubt that Tom Evans felt the least bit "snubbed" by being sworn in by one of our three highly respected and nationally recognized judges of our Unified Trial Court. Any respectful self-appointed advocate of law enforcement in Barry County would be ashamed to suggest such a thing and should take the first opportunity to apologize. Not to me, but to all the self-respecting law enforcement and court system employees.
I will give the balance of my space over to Pat, who is a far better historian, and may find something important enough to respond to.
I did not say Mr. Doele was not eligible for rehab, and I am well aware RNs have a rehab program, I worked with an RN that diverted drugs and went through the program, it took her two years to be able to get her license back and then to practice a year under someone else first. What I did say is that it would have been most inappropriate for Mr. Gee (and apparently the rest of the board as well) to just allow this gentleman to continue his job at Pennock, with the statement all the punishment that would be rendered on a "harmless" crime was not fitting, And not only that the mean ole board wouldn't even allow him to keep his job. Those self righteous blah blah blahs! Understand I really am not trying to be a horrid hag about this, I am attempting to explain that as a licensed health care provider x2 he has a higher responsibility than the average Joe on the street, and the board has an OBLIGATION to the hospital and the community to ensure that those who make decisions that affect patient care, whether at the bedside or not, are able to do so appropriately. As a nurse if I were to become aware that another nurse or other health care provider was diverting drugs I would not under any circumstaces look the other way. EVER. This "pill pusher" is also a patient advocate, something expected of any nurse. That does not preclude me from being able to be empathic to cause, it simply means that some issues are fairly black and white. I do not know Mr. Gee or Mr. Doele at all, and don't care a whit about the politics of it all, I simply look at this as a health care professional and what the expected outcomes would be for ANY health care professional caught in similar circumstances, and that would be loss of job, loss of license (suspension) possible rehab if indicated (most often is) reissue of license if all the steps of the action plan have been completed, and then generally the person must work under a limited license for a period before being fully reinstated. Each step should be completed through not only the board of licensure but through the legal system, it is not a cakewalk for anyone and nor should it be. I can't say it enough, these are the people who make health care decisions that affect you and your loved ones. Because from my viewpoint Mr. Doele should have to go through the same steps as others caught in similar circumstances does not mean I do not believe in rehab. What it does mean is that I do believe he gets treated the same as others caught in similar circumstances and that Mr. Gee and the board had little other choice but to act as they did. To do otherwise has great potential to harm Pennock in the long term. I felt it was very wrong to basically call Mr. Gee and the board hypocritical Christians simply for doing what they ought to be doing. But hey, you know most Christians are just hucksters anyway.
Children's dad, If I am correct, you are an RN, with perhaps a year or two as a nurse. I may even go to church with you, I may be wrong but I have a hunch. I would think it would be everyone's desire for anyone who falls into drug abuse for whatever reason for that person to be able to receive rehab, get on track and get on with life. I do question how appropriate it is to excoriate Mr. Gee and the rest of the board because they didn't invite Mr. Doele to continue on at Pennock as CEO at this juncture, particularly the use of the imagery conjured up on this posting.
I am also well aware Christians are often critical of one another, all you have to do is read the letters of Paul to realize it's been going on from the get go. That criticism turns on theological details or dogma issues, which is a bit different from ridiculing someone simply because they have faith. I personally have grave theological differences with a woman who can with a straight face say "our mother Jesus". I also have grave theological differences with a man who preaches God wants you to be wealthy, or the one who says just send me a $100 and you can be healed! But I won't jeer them for having faith to begin with. All one has to do is read through the postings here and it is obvious that jeering those with faith is quite normal in a way that the same folks would not do to other groups of people. That is very unfortunate.
el grillo, my mom's maternal side were Amish from Lancaster county. Later they became Mennonites when they moved to Ohio and there were no Amish communities. Later in Michigan they became United Brethren which is an offshoot of the Mennonites, and then that church merged with the Evangelical Church to form the Evangelical United Brethren Church, and then in the 1940's or 50's I believe the EUB merged with the Methodist Church to form the United Methodist Church. Imagine in about 8 generations a family went from Mennonite to United Methodist. Please do not generalize when you speak of faith, it is not only inaccurate it is unbecoming.
At any given point has it been said that Mr. Doele does not deserve forgiveness? I don't believe so. What I am saying as a health care professional is that the process has to be worked through from a legal and licensure. IT IS A REQUIREMENT IN THE HEALTH CARE FIELD. I know its not nice to shout but no one seems to be getting it.
No one is getting that point but they don't want to get it. It is simply easier to believe if things aren't done the way suggested by a certain ideology, well then the other side are rabid right wing hypocritical Christians. So why bother? You don't want to listen.
I am back from a hard day of treating crazy people (yes I know redcrab., it is not proper to call them crazy)and will now wade in to this swamp. Please el grillo, bail me out if it looks like I am going under, lol
to begin with, Any time someone starts quoting scripture to defend themselves it gives me pause to wonder why they have too. In this discussion site, (blog is too, too nerdy sounding for me, lol), you will find if you do a little research that common sense is the rule here. To feel the need to swing the religion bat here is a red flag to say the least. ElGrillo meant no slam to your faith with his statements. He can be a rabid dog at times but with the loss of Agit3's discussion site, we need his fervor. To stomp in like you did and face him mono e mono is suicide I would say. I believe his actual point is to make clear the hypocrisy of many in the area (and the Pennock board) in their call for Doele blood on this.
I do question your nursing degree. Are you an ADN or a BSN? I have found a HUGE difference between the two with the ADN's being technical or bedside nurses and BSN's being a more advanced progressive evidence based nurse. No don't go running for your keyboard to skewer me on that. I mean no offense. ADN's are valuable too. it is just BSN's are more apt to do research on a problem way before a ADN will and BSN's are also more apt to think "outside of the box". I am a BSN and do believe Harry could have been retained and rehabbed. He is an asset to our county and his being discarded by the board at Pennock is a fool hardy move at best. Nurses at Pennock have been retained for much worse and their negligence has just been swept under the rug. I know of at least one family (2 actually) that are minus a family member due to absolute negligence that was covered up there. One case that I know of had the nurse socializing and one of her patients bled out on the floor. The Nursing supervisor helped clean it up and told the family their father died of natural causes. That nurse was not even scolded but did eventually move on to another hospital. So how is Harry's crime worse than that? He had no patient contact and nobody but him was harmed.
How many times have you yourself used drugs "off label"? In 16 years I would bet plenty. Especially on yourself. I am not saying this is wrong (which legally and technically it is) but it is in a sense what Harry did. He was injured and had chronic pain. He medicated it I am sure in what became a temporary move, the best and most simple way he could. He just became addicted, probably without his immediate knowledge. If you have actually had 16 years, you would have seen this many times and not be quite so aggressive in prosecuting this. Harry has always given 110% and those that give this much sometimes drive them chemically, either over the counter or otherwise. How many times have you taken the early morning cup of coffee to help you get going in the morning?
And I would be careful about making the claim of this many years or that many years of experience. We just sent a prosecutor packing and she used that claim over and over. It does not appear to be much of a claim if the experience supports a position that waste's resources such as Harry.
You state that the law does not offer forgiveness. Well I beg to differ. The law in many many places offers forgiveness. In fact, the entire system offers forgiveness. If it did not we would be at the "eye for an eye" position meaning drug dealers would be sentenced to death. If you had researched this site, you would discover that this is not the case at all and that even major drug dealers have been offered forgiveness. If a major dealer (a habitual offender for this offense)in this county, one who's major market was our local high school students, can be offered forgiveness then Harry can be given forgiveness too! Research this a little more. You will see I am speaking the truth.
Look, Harry is just addicted and did something way out of character for him. If you crucify him you must do the same for all doing similar actions at Pennock. And if you did this, there would be considerably fewer "health care professionals" at Pennock. Why do you not insist on random drug tests for all health care professionals? Start with a frequency of every 30 days average but at random intervals. This would catch many. Test for alcohol, marijuana, opioid, etc... And make all drugs - not just narcotics - demand mandatory 2 person sign off for administration. And do something about discarded drugs. I have witnessed many leave the hospital for personal use and do not agree with this either.
So you see, I could go on and on picking apart your position redcrabtree. I see and understand your solid prosecution position but do not agree with it for this case. I too work in the health care field and while I do not possess your many years in the field, I think I may demonstrate the true idea of nursing some better. Maybe getting into another field to "broaden" your vision here would be a "positive" thing too. "Nurse" the patient back to health and position.
BSN vs ADN, LOL! I would bet a weeks worth of wages I am better read than more than a few BSN nurses. What is there to research on this site? It doesn't take much to figure out the ideological positions here, not like I'm writing a paper on it. You think education only occurs at some university? Apparently you can't think out of the box. Yes I hold an ADN which means I live in a world of reality based nursing not theory. You actually made me laugh out loud when I read that. How entertaining! Equating caffeine to phenergan with codeine, huh! Good God I never said don't forgive the guy, we have all done things that require forgiveness, I know I have. I also know we all go through what has to be done in order to get through it all and get to the point of forgiveness, is Mr. Doele so special he does not? By the way if you know that someone covered up the death you described and you did nothing you are as culpable as they. I personally could not know that and still look at myself in the mirror every day.
Yes, I have been an RN for 16 years, and no I have never, not one time used an "off label" drug as you so gracefully described it. I have no problem with random drug testing for health care professionals. I would consider what you call "off label" unprofessional, there are plenty of us who do. I too have seen some mighty questionable things in my years, I won't go into it all because it would fill volumes. I have been involved in a case of abuse in which the reporter was myself while the company attempted to cover it up. I went through a very difficult time over that CD, you have no clue at all what I went through because I believed in doing the right thing because I believe in professional care and appropriate care for my patients.
But I'm just a dumb ADN, at least I'm an ethical one. So pick apart whatever you wish CD, ethics are ethics. Apparently those statistics classes and history of medical art that help you think out of the box, got in the way of your ethics class. I can't think of any facility that having the same situation would go immediately into lets just hold hands, sing kumbaya, and let someone who stole for one, but also stole drugs, run their facility. Nothing special about Pennock there.
One last thing, then I'll let you all holler in your echo chamber, while you congratulate each other on how right you are. CD I have a family member who is bipolar, it's always my hope that when she has to be hospitalized she is not taken care of by someone like you who feels completely comfortable with calling people who gave to their country crazy, and yet somehow think their smarter than the not so quite bright ADN nurse. What a joke. And as far as religion, I'm not the one who brought it up, that would be the person who has the blog, and the BSN nurse apparently can't read because I did not quote scripture anywhere.
ADN vs. BSN, how freaking typical, LOL. I wish I could really express how funny I find that.
I always seem to take on the unstable ones, lol.
You might try some anger management courses for your next CEU's, that is if you do any. You did not do ADN's any favors with your hysterics here. try researching this site by reading the past records of discussions. You might not get so twisted once you do that. It is some pretty good "read" as you put it. You seem overly sensitive to the ADN vs BSN comparison. Why is that? If you don't want to be an ADn why not return to school and upgrade? Are you as sensitive to an MSN, APRN?
I am sorry the philisophical comparison excaped you (the off label and caffine one). You stomp your feet and scream ethics but pushing yourself with a stimulant to run off to medicate patients could be viewed by many to be not just unethical but down right dangerous. I hope I never draw an ADN (or any "health care provider)on a stimulant as my nurse.
I will garrantee that if you actually have 16 years as an RN that you have administered a drug "off label". Is this "ethical"? Does this not strike you as making you hypocritical? You claim to not use one yourself but I am sure you have administered one to another. you see, we have all done it so burning Harry at the stake as per your position is not right. Harry would have been better demoted some to a non health care position for an extended time to ensure his rehabilitation. that way Pennock could have still retained his talent and he would have a much better platform for his actual recovery. it is not like one of the nurses at Pennock caught growing pot in her bathtub at home and selling it to teenagers for cryin out loud.
And just to point out, you did advocate ending Harry's carreer in health care ("It is one however that deserves punishment and for him to lose his career in healthcare")
You are correct in stating you did not quote scripture. You actually just paraded your "maternal" religous history and your opinion concerning Calvinists. I stand corrected. I will have to be more careful about this in the future. But in turn I will ask you to be more careful about your exagerations too (Harmless, etc...). You doth twist meaning fair maiden.
I do appologize for the "crazy" remark. I only used that in jest as the people in the ward I work in call themselves crazy. I found durring my own service in the Army that the best way to deal with the stress in bad situations was to make soft jokes about it (while others made very course but hilarious ones). I will refrain using it here if it causes you so much grief.
It is sometimes too bad that the written word does not convey the tone and such that the spoken word does. If it did you would realize that I very seriously think you bringing up ADN vs. BSN hilarous. I am not sensitive about it in the least, I don't care about that whole discussion frankly. If anything it just made you seem typical.
I did indeed say this should end his career in health care, should have stated at Pennock. I say this because this is a small mostly rural area still. Having and keeping your patients trust is essential in health care, and it is my belief that it would look very much like a problem that could affect patient care was being swept under the rug rather than being dealt with. It was incredibly poor judgement on Mr. Doeles part for him to have done what he has admitted he did. How much would the people in this community truly trust the hospital if the board had chosen to do what is suggested by you, by the poster here? I take very seriously the trust put in me by the patients I take care of everyday, any health care provider should. Mr. Doele broke that trust in his very own community. Did he not have access to any other option except to steal drugs and self medicate? He was unable to get a referral to a pain clinic? No, according to his attorney that was not the case. From the Kalamazoo Gazette, Sept. 29---
HASTINGS -- The former chief executive of Pennock Hospital developed an addiction to a codeine-based cough syrup and took to pilfering the medicine from the facility's pharmacy when his prescription expired, his attorney said Thursday.
Harry Doele, 55, pleaded no contest in Hastings District Court to a misdemeanor larceny charge stemming from theft of 130 bottles of Phenergan.
He is seeking treatment for his abuse of the drug, said Terry Tobias, Doele's attorney.
``It was a legitimate prescription that over the course of taking it, he thought he needed it when it ran out,'' Tobias said.
Since he was originally charged with charged with embellzement and prescription fraud but was able plead no contest to a misdemeaner larceny, I would not, as the poster here stated, say the punishment did not fit the crime. It could have been much worse, it is not as if Mr. Doele was not given a break.
The article also states---Those counts are expected to be dismissed at his Oct. 17 sentencing hearing in exchange for the plea deal. He faces up to one year in jail.
The licensed pharmacist has entered outpatient treatment and voluntarily submitted to the state's health-professional-recovery program, Tobias said. He has also paid the hospital about $750, the wholesale value of the drug he took.
The defense attorney speculates his client is unlikely to go to jail and that a judge may even bypass a probationary sentence since Doele is enrolled in the state's recovery program. Doele joined Pennock in 1987 and became head of it in 2004.
So on Sept 29, the same day this particular post was put up everything that you and I know is the likely result of a situation like this had already happened. Understanding the consequences of such poor judgement, when caught, just how was Mr. Gee or the board to intervene in it?
Drugs came up missing from the pharmacy, an internal investigation was started. In whatever manner somehow that investigation led back to Mr. Doele. Apparently at that point is when Mr. Gee and the board should have quietly sent Mr. Doele off to rehab, retained him at Pennock in perhaps a different position and allowed it all to be forgotten? If I am making a mistake in what I think the people here are saying please indicate what timeline you think this could happened. As I continue this discussion I think it needs to be said that Mr. Doele was at times filling patient orders at the hospital, and in line with someone diverting drugs instead of that activity being something that the nice CEO was doing to help out the employees etc... it was a way for him to gain access to the medications he wanted. It was also a way that while in a state that large doses of codeine and phenergan can give, he could make an error while filling patient orders that in theory can cause patient harm. All of this the board would have to consider.
The other thing that the board has to consider is the reporting requirements when diversion occurs, the DEA has rules and regulations for scheduled medications, they also have an Office of Diversion Control which investigates cases such as this. Drug diversion does not simply affect the person who does but the facility it happens in. From their webpage.
Diversion of Controlled Pharmaceuticals
Many of the narcotics, depressants and stimulants manufactured for legitimate medical use are subject to abuse, and have therefore been brought under legal control. The goal of controls is to ensure that these "controlled substances" are readily available for medical use, while preventing their distribution for illicit sale and abuse.
Under federal law, all businesses which manufacture or distribute controlled drugs, all health professionals entitled to dispense, administer or prescribe them, and all pharmacies entitled to fill prescriptions must register with the DEA. Registrants must comply with a series of regulatory requirements relating to drug security, records accountability, and adherence to standards.
The DEA is obligated under international treaties to monitor the movement of licit controlled substances across United States borders, and for issuing import and export permits for that movement. The DEA also devises ways to deal with problems of international drug diversion.
Diversion cases involve, but are not limited to, physicians who sell prescriptions to drug dealers or abusers; pharmacists who falsify records and subsequently sell the drugs; employees who steal from inventory; executives who falsify orders to cover illicit sales; prescription forgers, and individuals who commit armed robbery of pharmacies and drug distributors. At present, the largest problem results from the criminal activity of physicians and pharmacy personnel.
If you can just understand the legal ramifications of this case it should be clearly understood why the board at Pennock did what they did. In essence they followed the law. The health care industry is a heavily regulated industry, and those who do not follow the regulations appropriately, when caught, risk a great deal. I am quite sure Mr. Doele fully understood that risk. Don't for a second believe the board did not also understand the risk Mr. Doeles behavior put Pennock hospital in either, not to mention simply the loss of trust from the community.
Anyone interested can access the Office of Diversion Control at deadiversion.usdoj.gov/new.htm
Addiction allows a person to take risks that others would not take, Mr. Doele is case in point as he obviously risked a great deal. At this point he no longer has a job, was able to plead a lesser offense than what actually occurred, admits he has a drug addition and is enrolled in the health providers rehab program. What we do not know is what will happen to his licesure, that takes a bit longer to be worked through. Likely he will bear a suspension, but not complete loss. He is also not likely to have any jail time, though he faces a year. It would be unusual for a provider to actually spend jail time. So far what has happened is basicly what should happen.
For advocating such and taking issue with the slam against people doing their jobs appropriately as hypocritical Christians, and defending what was done and how it was done despite the fact it complies with legal regulations I was told I was uncivil, belief in punishing offense is apparently cracker Christianity but that is not uncivil?
Not to mention an RN who didn't have the cajones, not to mention the ethics, to call the state board and
report a death that occurred due to negligence which was then subsequently covered up, calls me unstable. I went through hell for a year and a half because I opted to do the right thing and report appropriately a patient abuse case. I have no sympathy for anyone who would harm a patient or for those who know it and do nothing. I suppose it shouldn't surprise me for the same RN to advocate the position in the original posting.
In the end this is something not worth any more of my time. In this place there is Mr. Cricket who says he wants the truth, what he wants is his truth. Someone else who gives the news flash that Christians don't always get along with one another and that passes for deep thought. Someone else who apparently finds his own insults amusing since the post if full of them, and in the end an RN who basicly is clearly not an experienced RN nor terribly ethical. Carry on then! And the left wonders why so many Americans don't trust them.
Politicsmaster, you have nothing to fear from me, and Childrensdad, you seem to be well informed and we share some common interests.
I'm not sure what the duties of a "quick tempered ditty" are but I will continue to offer myself, as is, and expect you both to provide me with factual information to improve my perspective. I do tend to play with some harsh words sometimes and you are invited to tug gently on the reins. I am known to have a small BS tolerance. If attacked personally, as mentioned, my motto is "take no prisoners, show no mercy" which is contrary to my usual search for knowledge. While I try hard to follow the commands of Christ, I came with a very short warranty which ran out long ago.
PM, you may be interested in my present focus on re-alignment of the Barry County Board of Commissioners organizational structure. The details are at el-grillo.blogspot.com and are too technical and detailed for general consumption.
CD, my military service is not responsible for my craziness, but I have a real interest in the future of mental health and substance abuse treatment. I'm looking forward to the future of dealing with co-occurring disorders, particularly in our local jails. We are making nice progress in that area and I hope your perspective will add to my understanding.
Sidebar for both:
At one time I was covered by Blue Cross, who were thrilled by the prospect that I might get medical care in the third best medical system in the world for less than half of what it would cost them in the USA. Now that I am only covered by Medicare, our government would prefer to pay the long dollar here and not cover me at all when I cross the border. In my opinion this is both medically and politically stupid.
pura vida
For general discussion let's throw the Medical Doctors in here. How many Date Line or 60 Minute Shows have we seen where the Doctors go from State to State, or Hospital to Hospital in the same State, still practicing their wrongs on innocent people who "trust" the system to keep them safe?
Some State Medical Societies have revoked or suspended Medical Licenses only after TV exposure. How bout the Teacher pedofile that went from Flint or Pontiac to Florida before someone put 2 and 2 together?
Yes, he probably should lose his license, as all licensed professionals should! But, I would be in favor of an across the Board, absolute, two strikes and you're out. No third chance. But, a limited license, under strict supervision.
PM,
That's probably as much positive input as I should expect.
We have a new Board in the wings that will blow your socks off, and they universally recognize the need to re-organize the County Board structure.
Stick with mastering politics. Personally, at the local level it is a sound and fury amounting to a little boys club fighting over a small-sized vanilla cone.
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