DOVER – Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock and the state Board of Nursing have suspended the Delaware nursing license of Joanne F. Bogardus in light of recent criminal charges against her related to prescription drugs.

In making this determination, Secretary Bullock and the board considered criminal charges brought by the Delaware State Police, as outlined in a complaint filed with the board by the Delaware Department of Justice. According to the complaint, Ms. Bogardus forged signatures of other nurses to conceal the improper disposal of various narcotic and non-narcotic medications, including oxycodone, morphine, Percocet, Ambien and Xanax. During the time this activity is alleged to have taken place, Ms. Bogardus was intermittently employed as director of nursing at New Castle Health and Rehabilitation Center in New Castle, Del.

Delaware Code Title 24 enables a temporary emergency suspension pending a hearing to be issued upon the written order of the Secretary of State with the concurrence of the board chair, if the activity of the licensee presents a clear and immediate danger to public health, safety or welfare.

The suspension of Ms. Bogardus will remain in effect for a period of 60 days, during which time disciplinary hearings will be held or the final disposition for this individual will take place. As the result of a hearing, the Board of Nursing has the authority to impose disciplinary sanctions up to and including revocation of a practitioner’s license or certification.

The licensure status of Ms. Bogardus has been updated on the Division of Professional Regulation’s online license verification service. A copy of the signed order suspending the license of Joanne F. Bogardus can also be viewed here.

DOVER – Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock has ordered the temporary suspension of the Delaware nursing license of  Andrea M. Nopper of Wilmington following complaints of the licensee engaging in activities that present a clear and immediate danger to the public health, safety or welfare.

In making his determination, Secretary Bullock considered the written complaints filed by the Board of Nursing for temporary suspension of the professional license of Nopper.

Nopper was arrested and charged last May with two misdemeanor counts of possession or consumption of a prescription drug, one misdemeanor count of possession or control of a counterfeit substances, one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia, and one misdemeanor count of offensive touching after admitting to arresting officers that she had been using heroin and cocaine intravenously.

The Delaware Code Titles 23 and 24 were amended on April 15 to enable a temporary suspension pending a hearing to be issued upon the written order of the Secretary of State with the concurrence of the Board chair if the activity of the licensee presents a clear and immediate danger to the public health.

As a result of the actions taken today, the suspensions of Nopper will remain in effect for a period of 60 days during which time disciplinary hearings will be held to determine the final disposition for the nurse.

The licensure status of Nopper has been updated on the Division of Professional Regulation’s online license verification service. A copy of the signed  public order suspending the license of Andrea M. Nopper is attached.

Contact: Tammy Stock at (302) 857-3038 or , Delaware Department of State, Chief, Community Relations.