Nurses are trusted with providing proper care to patients, and they have access to many types of medical supplies and drugs for which they must act responsibly. Unfortunately, some nurses abuse their positions and either tamper with or pilfer powerful pharmaceuticals meant for patient care. One nurse in Winston-Salem recently pleaded guilty to attempted tampering of medical supplies.
Details regarding arrest and conviction
The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that a nurse who worked at Forsyth Medical Center was charged with attempting to tamper with medical supplies. Reportedly, she had opened vials containing the powerful opioid painkiller hydromorphone, and she replaced the drug with saline solution. She then allegedly injected herself with the painkiller.
According to reports, this activity occurred over a four-month period in 2020. The nurse worked as a contract nurse for the hospital. Reportedly, the medical center provided several vials of hydromorphone they claim had been tampered with. The nurse pleaded guilty to the charges and now faces a maximum of 10 years in prison plus fines and supervised release.
Defense against charges
Although this nurse pleaded guilty to the charges against her, other individuals, not exclusive to only health care providers, face allegations of criminal offenses that may not be true. When a professional, or anyone else, faces allegations of wrongdoing, it can have a detrimental impact on their reputation and career, not to mention their freedom. This is why it is so important to work directly with an experienced criminal defense attorney from the start.