Hearing for RN Asia Dodwell begins; board enters exhibits and votes to move into executive session

The Department of Public Health hearing for registered nurse Asia (pronounced "Asia") Dodwell (petition number 2024-1607) began April 2, 2025. The respondent appeared with counsel, and both sides had no objections to the board and DPH exhibits; the board entered several exhibits and later voted to move into executive session to consider sealed medical material.

DPH counsel read board exhibits 1–7 into the record, including notices of hearing (dates and certified-mail tracking), the statement of charges (Feb. 18, 2025), a summary suspension order (Feb. 19, 2025), and delivery tracking showing notice was delivered in Hartford on March 10, 2025. DPH exhibits 1–7 were entered as full exhibits; several DPH exhibits containing medical records and a certificate of death were entered under seal. Respondent’s counsel lodged no objection to the exhibits, and respondent’s counsel also offered respondent exhibits A–I; two respondent exhibits containing treatment records were entered under seal at counsel’s request.

In opening statements, DPH counsel said the department would present evidence that on Nov. 5, 2024, Dodwell served as the witnessing nurse for IV morphine administration and that required procedures were not properly followed, contributing to a fatal outcome. DPH asked the board to consider revocation or other discipline to protect public health.

Respondent counsel said Dodwell would acknowledge the error but portrayed the event as a single human error; counsel emphasized Dodwell’s subsequent remedial training and professional development. Counsel said Dodwell completed roughly 41 hours of continuing education in March 2025, including a 30-hour IV-infusion certification course and other courses in patient safety, pharmacotherapeutics, and stress management, and that the training included both online and in-person components.

Given the presence of sealed medical documents and testimony that would reference confidential patient information, respondent counsel asked the board to allow reference to those records. The board discussed the use of executive session for confidential medical evidence and voted to move into executive session. The chair instructed staff to move participants to a breakout room for the closed session.

The transcript provided stops after the board’s roll call to enter executive session; no fact-finding vote or remedy for the Dodwell matter is recorded in the provided excerpt.