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GFWC-West Side participated in arts competition

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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Richard Pieri, a nurse at the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center accused of assisting in an emergency surgical procedure while intoxicated, has resigned, the Times Leader has learned.</p><p>Pieri&#8217;s attorney, Kim Borland, said he and Pieri met with officials at the VA Wednesday morning and following that meeting, Pieri submitted his resignation and retirement.</p><p>&#8220;His resignation was made in very careful consideration of a lot of personal factors,&#8221; Borland said. &#8220;That is not a reflection of an admission of the propriety of the hospital&#8217;s employment actions toward him.&#8221;</p><p>Borland declined to comment further.</p><p>Pieri&#8217;s resignation came more than a week after he was charged with reckless endangerment for allegedly <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/515090/nurse-accused-of-aiding-in-emergency-surgery-at-wilkes-barre-veterans-administration-medical-center-while-under-the-influence-of-alcohol" target="_blank">coming to work while intoxicated</a>. Pieri, 59, has <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/517658/va-nurse-pieri-accused-of-assisting-in-surgery-while-drunk-has-troubled-past" target="_blank">a troubled past</a> that included being charged in the 1985 hit-and-run death of a veteran near the hospital, which was adjacent to Pieri&#8217;s residence at the time.</p><p>Times Leader archives indicate the charges were later forwarded to the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas, but a search Tuesday for the final disposition of the case proved fruitless.</p><p>State nursing officials are staying tight-lipped about what ramifications, if any, the criminal investigation could have on Pieri&#8217;s licensure. According to state records, Pieri&#8217;s nursing license is still active.</p><p>Wanda Murren, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Department of State, would neither confirm nor deny if an investigation had been initiated against Pieri due to the accusations against him.</p><p>Murren did say, however, that if the state does learn about criminal accusations against a licensee, an investigative file is generally opened.</p><p>Murren said there is a disciplinary process that &#8220;works very much like court proceedings.&#8221; She said the process can take several months, and stressed that licenses are revoked because of convictions and not charges.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Travis Kellar</p><p>tkellar@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Travis Kellar at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter @TLNews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Richard Pieri, nurse accused of assisting in surgery while drunk, resigns from VA