Florida nurse pleads responsible to swapping fentanyl for saline

A Florida registered nurse pleaded responsible to stealing practically 450 vials of fentanyl and changing them with saline whereas working at an outpatient surgical procedure middle.

Catherine Shannon Dunton, 54, stole the fentanyl meant for use for sufferers’ ache administration and injected it into herself, the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace for the Southern District of Florida mentioned. She pleaded responsible to tampering with a shopper product this week.

She labored as a circulating nurse at Jensen Seashore in Martin County, the place she was employed in 2021. Dunton stole the fentanyl between February and April 2022. Her license was suspended final August below an emergency order, data from the state well being division present.

She faces as much as 10 years in jail and a nice of as much as $250,000, and is about to be sentenced in June.

Dunton reported switching fentanyl and morphine for saline vials “two to 3 days every week,” and skilled withdrawal throughout her weekends off, in line with an investigation by the Florida Division of Well being.

“Ms. Dunton admitted that she knew there have been events the place the sufferers would solely obtain the saline,” a state emergency restriction order mentioned.

PREVIOUSLY:Nurse charged with fentanyl tampering

In line with a spokesperson for The Surgical procedure Middle the place Dunton labored, the nurse’s actions did not have an effect on sufferers.

“This case didn’t impression any medicine supply to our sufferers, and the person accountable is now not employed at our middle,” Shelly Weiss beforehand informed Treasure Coast Newspapers, a part of the USA TODAY Community, when Dunton was charged.

A liquid type of fentanyl is utilized by medical suppliers “to maintain sufferers from shifting throughout surgical procedure and relieve their ache,” the FDA mentioned in a press release when Dunton was indicted in December.

Data present Dunton has a historical past of substance abuse points, together with a earlier short-term suspension of her license for testing constructive for fentanyl in her system. She reported that she accomplished an alcohol and drug therapy program in Could 2022.

Throughout an analysis in 2022, Dunton additionally informed a health care provider she “diverted Demerol, morphine, fentanyl, and Percocet for her private use” whereas working at a unique medical middle 2008, the emergency order to droop her license says.

Contributing: Mauricio La Plante, Treasure Coast Newspapers

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