An Iowa licensed practical nurse (LPN) who allegedly admitted to stealing painkillers from nursing home residents has agreed to surrender her license. According to police records, the 42-year-old LPN ordered unnecessary Tramadol, an opioid painkiller, for a resident, destroyed delivery records, and kept the medication for her own use. Police alleged that she diverted Tramadol from multiple residents. At least 54 tablets were reported stolen.
The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing investigated the matter. According to the Iowa Board of Nursing, the department found that an allegation of dependent adult abuse was supported by a preponderance of the evidence related to the alleged theft.
In November 2023, the LPN was charged with tampering with records, prohibited acts involving a controlled substance, and prohibited acts involving illegal intent to deliver a prescription drug. As part of a plea agreement, the tampering charge was dismissed. The LPN pleaded guilty to the two prohibited-acts charges and received a deferred judgment. If she successfully completes two years of probation, the conviction will be expunged from court records.
The LPN was also charged with misdemeanor dependent adult abuse. That charge was dismissed under the terms of the plea agreement.
The LPN has agreed to surrender her nursing license. The Iowa Board of Nursing issued the order on May 6, 2025.
Compliance Perspective
Issue
Experts estimate that 17.1 percent of the US population struggles with impairment from alcohol or drug dependency. Nurses, due to their access to medications in the workplace, may be at a higher risk of developing substance use disorders compared to the general population. Given this, it is critical for each facility to implement proactive diversion-prevention programs. Doing so supports resident safety, promotes ethical and legal compliance, and helps facilities avoid high scope and severity citations when diversion is identified. Nurses who divert medications often use various methods to conceal their actions. Therefore, efforts must focus on identifying the types of medications most likely to be diverted, recognizing signs of diversion, and identifying symptoms of impairment in staff.
Discussion Points
- Review and update your policies and procedures on preventing, identifying, and responding to drug diversion as needed.
- Provide training to appropriate staff on preventing, identifying, and responding to suspected drug diversion. Educate staff on the impact of drug diversion on residents, emphasizing that it constitutes a form of abuse and neglect. Highlight staff responsibility to report concerns immediately and clearly outline the consequences of theft of controlled substances. Med-Net Academy (MNA) offers three PowerPoint training programs in the Substance Use category; visit MNA to access these resources.
- Conduct regular audits to ensure all controlled substances are accounted for each shift and that proper documentation is maintained. Your consultant pharmacist can assist with this process.
*This news alert has been prepared by Med-Net Concepts, Inc. for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice.*