ICU nurse stole patients’ fentanyl and diluted it with another liquid, feds say

A registered nurse who worked in a Texas hospital’s intensive care unit is accused of stealing fentanyl that was meant for patients, federal authorities said.

The nurse pleaded guilty on July 27 to obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas.

In pleading guilty, the 41-year-old woman from Annona said she stole the opioid medication “at various points during her time with the hospital,” including on April 25 and 26.

Authorities said she took the fentanyl from vials, then replaced the drug with a liquid containing sodium chloride, or salt.

The woman’s defense attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News on July 31.

The nurse faces up to four years in federal prison, according to the release.

“Fentanyl is associated with a high likelihood of dependency, abuse, and addiction,” according to the American Addiction Centers. Many patients given the drug for severe pain, typically during cancer treatment of after surgery, need addiction treatment even after following doctor instructions.

As many as 15% of medical workers will abuse drugs or alcohol during their career, according to the AAC. Healthcare workers stealing fentanyl “has been a major issue concerning patient safety in hospitals.”

“The theft and replacement of fentanyl (usually with saline) causes suffering to the patient that is unknowingly untreated for their pain, while the healthcare workers who steal fentanyl for personal use are at risk of overdose,” the AAC said.

Annona is about 150 miles northeast of downtown Dallas.