LANSING, Mich. — The State of Michigan has suspended the license of a Norton Shores nurse.
The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) suspended the license of Susan Drust for allegations of negligence and failure to exercise due care at her practice.
LARA officials allege that Drust prescribed controlled substances to patients who were abusing alcohol, prescribed unsafe combinations of drugs without documenting the risk or the rationale, failed to document problematic urine drug screens and failed to document consideration of alternatives to opioid treatments.
“The allegations against the licensee indicate that she put public health and safety at risk,” said Director Orlene Hawks in a press release. “Based on our findings, it was crucial for LARA to summarily suspend this licensee to protect patients in Michigan.”
Data revealed that the practice ranked among Michigan's highest volume prescribers of commonly abused substances in 2017 & 2018.
In 2018, Susan Drust Family Medicine prescribed 73,200 Methadone 10 milligram tablets, 23,040 Carisoprodol 350 milligram tablets and 110,451 Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen 10 milligram tablets.
Drust operated her own practice calledSusan Drust Family Medicine in Norton Shores. The website states many typical family practice services including same-day sick appointments, physicals and pediatric care. The practice has also been expanding on cosmetic procedures or aesthetic medicine. Susan has said these procedures would require little downtime likely meaning no prescription drugs would be required.
FOX 17 went to the property to speak with her, but was asked to leave the property with no comment.
LARA says the suspension is a temporary measure and not a final determination if Drust has violated Public Health Code. That is yet to be determined.
