A former registered nurse at Yale New Haven Hospital has pleaded guilty to tampering with and stealing vials of medication, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Officials said a man in his 30s, from Southbury, was employed at Yale when he took vials of a controlled substance that was supposed to be given to patients.
The medication, Lorazepam, is a controlled substance. The nurse took vials intended for patients on Jan. 31, 2022, according to the DOJ.
The nurse removed a portion of the medication from at least one of the vials, replaced the contents with a fake solution and returned it. That vial was then distributed to at least one patient, according to officials.
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Authorities said the nurse also kept at least one vial for himself. He has pleaded guilty to tampering with a consumer product and acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge.
He could face up to 14 years in prison. The nurse was released on a $50,000 bond and sentencing is set to take place March 5.
A spokesperson with the hospital said, “Yale New Haven Health is committed to patient safety and worked to immediately address the identified drug diversions and to mitigate harm to the affected patients. Patient safety is our paramount focus and we continue to refine our practices to detect and prevent future cases of diversion. These practices include robust technology and security measures designed to keep patients safe.”
