What Happened
A registered nurse at a Texas hospital was investigated for removing two Norco 5 mg tablets from an automated dispensing cabinet when the physician's order was for only one tablet.
A facility audit found 10 mg of morphine, 100 mcg of fentanyl, 2.5 mg of diazepam, and 15 mg of temazepam unaccounted for, and indicated the nurse removed morphine without an order and failed to document wastage or return of unused controlled substances The Arkansas State Board of Nursing placed the nurse's license on probation for two years and imposed a civil penalty and remedial education.
What the Record Shows
License placed on probation for two years; $1,500 civil penalty; required remedial courses and monitoring.
Why It Matters for Diversion Programs
This entry comes from a primary source rather than a federal enforcement release, and it is recorded as reported: Withdrew two Norco 5 mg tablets from an automated dispensing cabinet when the order was for one, documented only one, then documented administration of the second after the patient was discharged; a facility audit found 10 mg morphine, 100 mcg fentanyl, 2.5 mg diazepam, and 15 mg temazepam unaccounted for; removed morphine without an order; failed to document wastage or return of unused diazepam, temazepam, and fentanyl; documented morphine administration before removal and administered an additional morphine dose without an order.. Board and news records are a lagging indicator - by the time a licensing authority or a reporter learns of a diversion, the diversion was normally detected internally first, which makes each entry a signal that inventory reconciliation, waste observation or dispensing oversight failed earlier.