RI Nurse Surrenders License Over Fake COVID Vaccine Card
Athena Fidas, a nurse from Rhode Island, voluntarily surrendered her nursing license after the Rhode Island Department of Health (DOH) and RI Board of Nurse Registration determined the COVID vaccination card she supplied to her employers was fake. Fidas in fact had never received any doses of the vaccine. Read the consent order here.
According to the consent order, In October 2021, the DOH received a complaint against Fidas stating that her COVID vaccination card was fake. At the time was working as a Nurse Care Manager at Rhode Island Primary Care Physicians Group as well as per diem in the ICU at Kent Hospital in Warwick.
Shortly after the complaint was filed, Fidas acknowledged that the vaccination card was fake and within days was terminated from both Kent Hospital as well as Rhode Island Primary Care Physicians Group. Both locations require that all healthcare providers and employees are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
In January 2022, the Board of Nurse Registration found that her continued unrestricted licensure presented a danger to the health and safety of the public. As a result, the Board revoked Fidas’ license.
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The paperwork was officially signed by Fidas on May 25th and the Director of the Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education on August 15th. Her license was immediately revoked at that time.
How To Get The License Reinstated
There are several ways Fidas’ license can be reinstated according to the document. These include,
- Becoming vaccinated
- The vaccination mandate is lifted
- Qualifies for a medical exemption to the mandate
Once Fidas is compliant with the mandate, she may ask the Board to reinstate her nursing license; however, her jobs have made it clear she is not eligible for rehire. She must appear personally in front of the Board at that time and “provide an oral presentation in support of her request for the reinstatement of her license.”
If Fidas is caught practicing nursing while her license is revoked, the Board will permanently revoke her license and she will not be eligible for reinstatement.
