A nurse anesthetist at Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire, diverted liquid fentanyl that was left over after medical procedures rather than disposing of it properly, according to the U.S. attorney's office. Investigators said the nurse also falsified disposal records and took controlled substances about once a day over the course of a year.
In June 2024 the nurse pleaded guilty to tampering with consumer products. As part of the plea, the nurse admitted replacing liquid fentanyl meant for an operating-room patient with saline and another drug. Sentencing was still pending when the case was reported in July 2024.
The conduct came to light through a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation that began in 2023. The hospital said that on discovering the incident it promptly notified federal and state authorities and cooperated fully with their investigations.
The same investigation led to a separate civil settlement between the hospital and the federal government over controlled-substance recordkeeping. The hospital said it has since strengthened its controls and procedures against theft and diversion of controlled substances.