School nurse who had sex with student denied license reinstatement

The Iowa Board of Nursing has refused to reinstate the license of a school nurse convicted of having sex with a 16-year-old student.

According to court records, Angela Beik of Marion was convicted of sexual exploitation by a school employee in 2019 and was ordered to serve a 180-day jail sentence, pay a $625 fine, and register as a sex offender.

Beik was the school nurse at Linn-Mar High School in Marion and also worked at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids. In 2018, police learned that Beik had allegedly told colleagues at St. Luke’s she’d had consensual sex with the boy. The coworkers reported the conversation to officials.

According to the board, Beik had befriended the high school freshman, giving him rides, helping him apply for jobs, assisting him with homework and taking him to church. On March 17, 2018, she went out to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, allegedly became very intoxicated and took an Ambien pill the next morning. That same morning, the student sent her a Snapchat message that included a photo of his genitalia. She drove to the student’s house, the two had sex, and then she drove to St. Luke’s and requested a “morning-after pill.”

According to the board, Beik maintains the sex was not consensual and that the student raped her. The board denied Beik’s application for reinstatement of her nursing license, indicating it was concerned she still lacks a good understanding of professional boundaries and fails to take responsibility for her actions.

The board noted she still has 30 days of her jail sentence to serve — the term was suspended due to the pandemic — and has up to 10 years of criminal probation to serve while remaining on the sex-offender registry.

Other Iowans recently subjected to discipline by the board include:

Deanna Kristen Smith of Garner, who was working at an unspecified nursing home last year as the facility’s lead instructor in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR. In January 2021, Smith allegedly signed paperwork indicating two caregivers had attended and successfully completed CPR classes, even though neither of the two had taken the course. Smith then submitted to the facility a billing statement seeking payment for the instruction of the two workers, according to the board. Smith has been ordered to pay a $200 fine and complete a one-day virtual training session on medical ethics.

Jason Penner of Independence was issued a warning by the board for committing an act that could adversely affect the health and welfare of a patient. He was accused of physically striking a combative hospital patient on July 4, 2021.

Tera Reyes of Webster City had her nursing license placed on probation for 18 months. The board alleged that in February 2021 she gave birth to a child that had marijuana and methamphetamine in its system. The board also alleged it had received information about Reyes indicating she had a substance abuse disorder.

Carol Laird of Des Moines was issued a warning for committing an act that could adversely affect the health and welfare of a patient. In August 2021, she allegedly administered a COVID-19 vaccine to a 10-year-old child. The vaccine was administered at a time when it had not been approved for use in patients of that age.

Samantha Hays of Creston surrendered her license to the board after being accused of a substance abuse disorder. After agreeing last March to refrain from all mood-altering drugs and alcohol, she allegedly relapsed and began using methamphetamine and alcohol. Hays can apply for reinstatement of her license after one year, provided certain conditions are met.

Stacey Lanam of Humboldt surrendered her license to the board after being accused of a substance abuse disorder. After agreeing last February to refrain from all mood-altering drugs and alcohol, she allegedly missed several chemical screenings and also tested positive for alcohol, Hydrocodone and Tramadol. Lanam can apply for reinstatement of her license after one year, provided certain conditions are met.