By Sharon Salyer
Herald Writer
Two Everett midwives have been placed on two years probation and fined $3,000 by the state Health Department following an investigation of cases in which an infant was born with serious neurological damage and another pregnancy ended in a stillborn delivery.
The state order also includes other sanctions, including close review of the midwives’ practices.
The decision outlining the sanctions against Darlene Curtis and Janine Walker ends the investigation. Curtis and Walker are licensed midwives who worked at Cascade Midwives &Birth Center on Colby Avenue in Everett.
"This is strict," Paula Meyer, executive director of the health professions quality assurance commission, said of the state’s actions.
In July, the state publicly announced its investigation into the two 1999 cases. Neither of the two patients involved in the investigation is named.
In its order finalized Dec. 13 resolving the case, the state said the two midwives did not adequately monitor the two pregnant patients, with one ultimately delivering a baby with serious neurological damage and the other transferred to a hospital, where her baby was born dead.
Because of the severity of the outcomes, Meyer said she has been asked why the state didn’t revoke the midwives’ licenses.
If such action had been taken, "we would have no ability to monitor their practice," she said, explaining that they could still work as lay midwives, although they could not be paid for their services.
"When we issued the orders, we needed to do something very strict and maintain the licenses so we could maintain close review of the practice," Meyer said. "We built into the order several different people (to do several) levels of review," she said, each of whom can observe and check the care of patients during the probationary period.
If any further problems arise, the state can launch another investigation, which potentially could lead to suspension or termination of their licenses.
Curtis still works as a midwife at the Colby Avenue birthing center, said attorney Donna Moniz, who represents both Curtis and Walker. "The birthing center is open and seeing clients and doing well," she said.
Walker is not currently working as a midwife, "but she could at any time," Moniz said.
"In this country, we want to think all babies will be born normally and alive," Moniz added. "When they don’t, we want somebody to blame. In fact, sometimes nature does not produce normal newborns. It’s true no matter who’s caring for the patient."
Curtis has been a licensed midwife in Washington since September 1998. Walker has been a licensed midwife in the state since August 1997.
In addition to probation, the state has imposed a number of other sanctions on both midwives, including:
You can call Herald Writer Sharon Salyer at 425-339-3486
or send e-mail to salyer@heraldnet.com.
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