The former Down East Community Hospital employee responsible for potentially exposing one patient to another patient’s blood through an intravenous infusion at the Machias facility earlier this year also administered outdated medication, failed to monitor a sedated patient adequately and used a marker to draw teardrops on the face of a sedated patient, according to the Maine State Board of Nursing.

Michael W. Hendry, a certified registered nurse anesthetist who formerly lived in the Washington County town of Whiting, signed a consent agreement with the nursing board last week. According to the terms of the agreement, made public Tuesday, Hendry’s license to practice nursing in Maine and his approval to practice as a nurse anesthetist in the state is officially suspended for 270 days, with half the suspension stayed.

Hendry, who worked at the Machias hospital from October 2006 until his resignation Feb. 4, now lives in Tennessee.

Should he return to work in Maine after the suspension, Hendry’s professional activities will be subject to a two-year probation requiring him to notify the nursing board of his employment or entry into any nursing education program. During the probationary period, his employer or a faculty member would be required to provide the nursing board with quarterly updates on his performance.

Hendry also agreed to pay a fine of $4,500, with all but $2,250 suspended.

According to the facts presented in the consent agreement, Hendry:

. Used the same syringe to administer intravenous anesthesia to two different patients during their colonoscopy procedures on Jan. 4.

. Administered outdated anesthesia on an unspecified date.

. Failed to monitor a patient adequately during an anesthesia procedure on an unspecified date.

. Used a marker to draw teardrops on an unconscious patient’s face on an unspecified date. The patient later complained that he had suffered a skin reaction to the marker, and the hospital suspended Hendry for eight days and placed him on probation for 90 days.

Other than the skin reaction, no patients were harmed in the incidents, according to the consent agreement.

The document cites Hendry for unprofessional conduct, incompetence, failing to follow policies and procedures designed to safeguard patients and “inaccurate recording, falsifying or altering a patient or health care provider record.”

Hendry’s nursing license was issued in Tennessee in 2001. He worked in Maine under the terms of a nursing acceptance compact agreed to by 22 states.

In February, hospital officials reported to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention Hendry’s use of the same syringe to administer medication to different patients. Public health officials advised the hospital to test the first patient for blood-borne illnesses such as HIV and hepatitis. The tests were negative, and the state determined that further patient testing was unwarranted.

The state’s hospital licensing division also conducted an investigation, which concluded last week without identifying any deficiencies.

Myra Broadway, executive director of the Maine nursing board, said Tuesday that the sanctions against Hendry’s Maine license would be posted to a national nursing database on Wednesday. Other states, she said, are likely to adopt the conditions imposed by the Maine board.

“Nobody wants a bad actor in their state,” she said.

Reached by phone on Tuesday, Hendry, who now lives in Nashville, Tenn., declined to comment.

mhaskell@bangordailynews.net

990-8291