Nurse drug diversion cases
402 documented cases, 1983–2026.
Figures are derived from the 931 case records collected on this site, not from any official total. A record counts here when its Role field, or failing that its title, names one of these roles: 100 from the Role field, 302 from the title.
Roles counted: Registered nurse (RN) (91) · Licensed practical / vocational nurse (22) · Nurse practitioner / APRN (15) · Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) (12) · Nurse (role unspecified) (262).
Monetary penalties stated
Median: $5,500
Smallest $500 · largest $4,500,000
Median of 37 amounts in US dollars (civil settlements and penalties, criminal fines, restitution, forfeiture) stated in 35 of 402 records. 367 records state no dollar amount.
Custodial sentences stated
Shortest: 3 months
Longest: 120 months (10 years)
63 prison or jail terms stated in 63 of 402 records. Probation, supervised release, home confinement and suspended terms are not counted.
Drug classes involved
| Drug class | Records |
|---|---|
| Opioids | 285 |
| Other controlled substance | 65 |
| Benzodiazepines | 14 |
| Stimulants | 8 |
| Anesthetics / sedatives | 6 |
| No drug stated | 44 |
A record naming drugs from two classes counts in both.
States with the most records
| State | Records |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 22 |
| Iowa | 18 |
| Michigan | 16 |
| Connecticut | 15 |
| Mississippi | 15 |
| Wisconsin | 15 |
| Oregon | 14 |
| New Hampshire | 11 |
52 states and territories in all; every state.
Settings involved
| Setting | Records |
|---|---|
| Hospital / health system | 159 |
| Other / not classified | 150 |
| Long-term care | 25 |
| Ambulatory surgery / OR | 9 |
| Home health / hospice | 6 |
| Fertility / reproductive | 2 |
| Retail pharmacy | 1 |
| No setting stated | 50 |
Other roles
Cases
Newest first · page 13 of 17, 301–325 of 402
- Hartford Hospital Nurse Disciplined for Diverting Opiates 2019-07-17 · Hartford, CT · Hospital / health system
- Connecticut LPN placed on probation after Massachusetts license suspension for diverting opioids 2019-07 · Other / not classified
- Hartford hospital nurse placed on four-year probation for diverting opiates 2019-07 · Hospital / health system
- Nurse practitioner forged physicians' signatures to issue unauthorized controlled-substance prescriptions at two Montgomery pill-mill practices 2019-06 · Montgomery, AL · Other / not classified
- Las Vegas nurse sentenced for illegally prescribing hydrocodone and oxycodone in a cash-for-prescriptions scheme 2019-05 · Las Vegas, NV · Other / not classified
- Boise Hospital Nurse Sentenced for Diverting Fentanyl Vials from an Automated Dispensing Cabinet 2019-04-16 · Boise, ID · Hospital / health system
- Rhode Island VA Nurse Sentenced Over Liquid Opioid Tampering 2019-04-05 · Providence, Rhode Island · Hospital / health system
- Boise hospital nurse diverted fentanyl vials by falsifying dispensing-system records 2019-04 · Boise, ID · Hospital / health system
- Rhode Island Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2019) 2019 · Rhode Island · Hospital / health system
- Idaho Nurse Sentenced in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2019) 2019 · Idaho · Hospital / health system
- Registered nurse alleged to have diverted a controlled substance from a nursing facility in Mukwonago 2018-11 · Mukwonago, WI · Other / not classified
- Arkansas nurse surrenders license after record reviews found controlled-substance diversion at two facilities 2018-09 · Hospital / health system
- ED Nurse Transmits Hepatitis C to Patients at Good Samaritan Hospital 2018-05 · Puyallup, Washington · Hospital / health system
- North Colorado Medical Center Nurse Stole Opioids from Locked Dispensing System 2018-04-26 · Greeley, Colorado · Hospital / health system
- Denver VA and ER Nurse Tampered with Fentanyl Vials, Resealed with Skin Glue 2018-04-19 · Denver, Colorado · Hospital / health system
- UT Southwestern Pays $4.5M Over Staff Fentanyl Diversion and Two Nurse Overdose Deaths 2018-04 · Dallas, Texas · Hospital / health system
- Meridian nurse practitioner pleaded guilty to swapping hydrocodone in clinic cabinets for muscle relaxants and forging prescriptions 2018-03-14 · Other / not classified
- Delaware nurse who obtained Xanax by impersonating a doctor loses bid to regain license 2018-02-22
- Delaware nurse who impersonated a doctor to obtain Xanax lost bid to regain license after permanent revocation 2018-02-22
- Wyoming hospital nurse sentenced for diluting hydromorphone and meperidine vials 2018-02-21 · Hospital / health system
- Former registered nurse at Memorial Hospital of Converse County sentenced for stealing hydromorphone and meperidine and replacing them with saline 2018-02 · Douglas, WY · Hospital / health system
- New Mexico Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2018) 2018 · New Mexico · Home health / hospice
- North Carolina Nurse Charged in Opioid Diversion Case (2018) 2018 · North Carolina · Other / not classified
- Former hospital nurse in Douglas charged with stealing and diluting hydromorphone and meperidine 2017-10 · Douglas, WY · Hospital / health system
- Ogden hospital emergency room nurse charged with diverting morphine and dilaudid and tampering with vials, exposing patients to hepatitis C 2017-07 · Ogden, UT · Hospital / health system
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Disclaimer
Case summaries are based on public records (DOJ press releases, court documents, licensing-board orders, news reports). Charges are allegations unless a conviction is noted. Analysis is educational, not legal advice.
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