Nurse stole painkillers from Colorado patients, feds say. She’s going to prison

A registered nurse accused of stealing painkillers from Colorado hospital patients will serve 12 months in prison, federal officials said.

The 44-year-old woman stole hydromorphone from patient-controlled analgesia pumps, falsely telling them it was for a study, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Colorado said in a news release. Hydromorphone is a potent opioid.

“Medical professionals who criminally abuse their positions of trust will be held accountable,” United States Attorney Cole Finegan said in the statement.

The woman opened the pumps with a key, the release said, then removed some of the hydromorphone in an area of the hospital to which she was not assigned.

She stole the painkillers from at least three patients on four occasions, the release said.

The nurse told patients and investigators the thefts were part of an academic study on the pumps, but an email asking her to participate in the supposed study was faked by her, prosecutors said.

In addition to 12 months in prison, the woman will serve a year of supervised release, a judge ruled Nov. 30, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

This story was originally published December 2, 2021 at 9:25 AM with the headline "Nurse stole painkillers from Colorado patients, feds say. She’s going to prison."