BC nurse suspended for stealing drugs for personal use

A BC nurse has been suspended for a week for taking drugs from the workplace and using them for personal purposes, according to a regulator.

According to the BC College of Nurses and Midwives, the nurse also falsified medical records to conceal the diversion and worked while disabled.

“The registrar also has a history of illegal drug use and regulatory intervention for the same issues,” reads an online summary of the consent agreement approved Thursday between the university and the nurse.

The university says the nurse has been diagnosed with a disability “causally related to practice-related issues” and will receive recommended treatment.

The nurse was not named in the contract due to patient health information laws because she has a condition that limits her ability to practice, the regulator noted.

For the latest offenses, which occurred between April and August 2023, the nurse received a reprimand and a one-week suspension.

The individual is also required to sign a “medical monitoring agreement” for a period of three years; they will not have access to narcotics, benzodiazepines and other controlled substances; and is prohibited for six months from working overtime, night shifts, as a nurse in charge, supervising students or managing new staff.

“The commission of inquiry is confident that these conditions will protect the public,” the notice reads.