Spokane Area Nurse Suspended After Deaths

The death of three Spokane County area patients has led to the suspension of a nurse's license in the county.

Susan Bowen-Small, a registered nurse and advanced nurse practitioner, is accused of not providing the proper oversight to several patients after prescribing what is described as, "large amounts of narcotics."

The suspension comes after an investigation by the Washington State Department of Health and Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission. Bowen-Small will not be able to work as a nurse or nurse practitioner until the charges have a formal conclusion.

According to the Department of Health news release, "The Spokane County Medical Examiner found the causes of death for three of Bowen-Small’s patients to be drug toxicity, including combined drug toxicity, methadone and diazepam toxicity, and methadone toxicity.”

Bowen-Small has 20 days to respond to the charges or ask for a formal hearing.