Internal investigation launched for a ‘nurse’ who worked at the Colorado Mental Health Hospital

PUEBLO, Colo. (KKTV) - An internal investigation is underway by the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) after claims a person who didn’t have a legal nursing license worked as a nurse at the Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Pueblo.

An anonymous source reached out to 11 News concerned about a person named Enome Massango who allegedly worked at the facility. When KKTV 11 News reached out to CDHS about the claims, a spokesperson for the Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health with CDHS explained an internal investigation tied to Massango was underway.

“CDHS takes the safety and welfare of our patients very seriously, and we find these allegations incredibly concerning,” Jordon Johnson the Communications Manager for the Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health wrote. “CDHS contracts with staffing agencies to provide nurses in facilities with staffing shortages, and a contract employee by the name of Enome Massango worked at the Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Pueblo (CMHHIP) through a staffing agency for about two months in 2022. CDHS verifies all of the Department’s nurses, including contract employees, have a license. The department is conducting an internal investigation.”

Johnson says the company that provided the nurse was SnapNurse. Johnson adds that Massango worked at the hospital from February to April in 2022. A representative with SnapNurse tells 11 News Massango is no longer with them and that they do not comment publicly on individual personnel or disciplinary matters.

According to a spokesperson with the Department of Regulatory Agencies for Colorado, no one by the name of Enome Massango was registered to be a nurse in Colorado. However, nurses are not required to report to the board if they are working in Colorado under a valid multi-state license as part of the Nurse Licensure Compact.

According to records on nursys.com, someone by the name of Enome Massango obtained a nursing license in Iowa on April 16, 2018. The Massango in Iowa had their license status revoked on May 24, 2022. While it isn’t clear if this is the same Enome Massango as the one who reportedly worked in Colorado, no one else with that name was listed on nursys. It is not clear if the person who had their license revoked in Iowa is the same person who reportedly worked at the Colorado Mental Health Hospital.

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