The Connecticut Department of Public Health on Jan. 12 continued a disciplinary hearing in the statement of charges against registered nurse Rochelle George, RN, APRN, focusing on testimony about her educational history, transfer credits and whether prior coursework satisfied licensure requirements. The hearing convened at 10 a.m. and the officer overseeing the matter said she will read newly filed briefs this week and then reach a decision.

Why it matters: The hearing examines whether Ms. George’s prior coursework and examinations meet Connecticut licensing standards for advanced practice registration, a determination that could affect her license status. Counsel also debated procedural filings, including the department’s motion to strike and respondent’s objection and reply, which the officer will review before ruling.

During the morning session, attorneys for both sides confirmed filings and entered two exhibits into the record without objection: Board Exhibit 6 (notice of continued hearing dated Dec. 18, 2025) and Board Exhibit 7 (USPS tracking information for the notice, dated Jan. 5, 2026). The department signaled it planned to continue calling Ms. George as a witness and resumed direct examination.

On the stand, Ms. George described a multi‑step educational path. She testified she completed an associate in science nursing, later earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Chamberlain University in December 2018 and a Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University in February 2022. She said she applied to the Connecticut Department of Public Health for an advanced practice registered nurse license around 2023 and disclosed both the Chamberlain and Walden degrees as well as earlier coursework at Medlife Naples.

Counsel and Ms. George spent substantial time on the format and timing of instruction at Medlife Naples. She testified she attended a fast‑track program there in 2016, making three trips to Naples, Florida (April, May and July 2016) for in‑person sessions that she estimated totaled about 10 days on campus across five classes (11 credits). She said assignments and some assessments were completed online between trips using the Blackboard platform and that certain scored assessments (described in the record as PESI assessments) were used to gauge students’ readiness for board examinations.

The session also focused on clinical training and the MedSurg II course Ms. George took at a prior school transcribed in the record as “Helene Fould/Folds.” Ms. George testified the MedSurg II course included both didactic and clinical components; she told the panel she passed the clinical portion but did not pass the didactic portion. Defense counsel objected to the respondent’s earlier characterization that she had “failed” the course, noting the school transcript in evidence shows a grade of “C.” Respondent’s counsel argued that Ms. George should be permitted to present a promissory‑estoppel argument and cited appellate authority referenced in the transcript (referred to there as "Kimberly Clark versus Dubna") as part of the legal framing for why that argument should be considered.

The Hearing Officer sustained a request for clarification on how the school grades should be interpreted and directed counsel that sealed transcript pages and related exhibits would need to be reviewed in executive session to resolve evidentiary questions. Staff instructed Ms. George on rejoining the proceeding for the executive session and the officer recessed to reconvene in executive session at 11:15 a.m.

The officer told parties she has not yet read all recent filings and "I'm going to read them over this week. And then, and then reach a decision." The hearing remains open; no final rulings were issued during the session and further consideration of the department’s motion to strike and the respondent’s promissory‑estoppel argument will follow after the officer reviews the briefs and sealed materials.

Reported speakers and attributions in this article are taken directly from the hearing record as provided by the Department of Public Health.