>>>
>>> 12
>>> 12 NEWS AT 10 PM IS BAD WITH AN I.T.
AN I.T.
AN I.T. EXCLUSIVE INVOLVING A NURSE
UNDER INVESTIGATION.
UNDER INVESTIGATION. POLICE SAY SHE STOLE
PRESCRIPTION PADS.
PRESCRIPTION PADS. >> OFFICIALS SAY SHE WILL
WITHIN 100 FAKE PRESCRIPTIONS.
WE ARE LIVE IN THE STUDIO WITH
WHAT THE TEAM HAS UNCOVERED.
>> Reporter: WE SPOKE WITH A
DOCTOR WHOSE PRESCRIPTION PADS
WERE ALLEGEDLY STOLEN.
HE SAYS THE NURSE'S CURRENT
STATUS HAVE HIS CONCERN FOR THE
SAFETY OF PATIENTS.
>> I FEEL BETRAYED.
>> Reporter: FOR A DOCTOR, IT
IS THE ULTIMATE TRIAL.
>> YOU WANT THE TRUST IN THE
PERSON TAKING CARE OF SICK
LOVED ONES.
LOVED ONES. >> Reporter: HIS NURSE STOLE
HIS PRESCRIPTION PAD AND WROTE
FRAUDULENT PRESCRIPTIONS FOR AN
OPIOID.
OPIOID.
OPIOID. IT IS ABUSED BY MORE THAN 1
MILLION AMERICANS.
MILLION AMERICANS. >> I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS
WAS.
WAS.
WAS. >>
WAS. >> Reporter: THIS DOCTOR LIKELY
WOULD HAVE NEVER FOUND OUT BUT
IN AUGUST 2016, HE TYPED IN HIS
NAME INTO ARIZONA'S NEW
PRESCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING
DATABASE.
DATABASE.
DATABASE. >> THIS IS WHEN I FOUND 102
DIFFERENT PRESCRIPTIONS WRITTEN
UNDER THREE NAMES FOR A FORMER
NURSE THAT WORKED WITH ME.
>> Reporter: 100 TO
PRESCRIPTIONS AND MORE THAN
15,000 TRAMADOL PILLS.
>> WE DO NOT USE IT IN MY
PRACTICE.
PRACTICE.
PRACTICE. >> Reporter: EACH PRESCRIPTION
ALLOWS FOR SIX REFILLS.
THE DEA ONLY ALLOWS FIVE.
THE NURSE FELT THESE
PRESCRIPTIONS AT SEVERAL
PHARMACIES ACROSS THE VALLEY.
>> NEVER ONCE DID A PHARMACY
CALL ME VERIFYING IF I WAS
WRITING A PRESCRIPTION LIKE
THIS.
THIS.
THIS. >>
THIS. >> Reporter: THE DOCTOR
CONTACTED HOSPITAL OFFICIALS
AND THE SCOTTSDALE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
DEPARTMENT. >> MY CONCERN IS SHE HAD WORKED
AT ALL THREE OF THE MAJOR
HOSPITAL SYSTEMS IN THE VALLEY.
>> Reporter: SCOTTSDALE POLICE
DEPARTMENT LAUNCHED AN
INVESTIGATION AND THE STATE
BOARD OF NURSING INVESTIGATION
WAS ALREADY UNDERWAY.
THIS NURSE HAD TWO PRIOR
COMPLAINTS FILED AGAINST HER.
ONE WAS FOR ADMINISTERING
CONTROLLED MEDICATIONS FOR HER
PATIENTS MORE OFTEN THAN OTHER
NURSES.
NURSES.
NURSES. ANOTHER WAS FOR REMOVING HIGHER
VOLUMES OF FENTANYL.
>> HOW DO YOU LET SOMEONE
PRACTICE LIKE THIS?
TAKING CARE OF SICK VULNERABLE
PATIENTS IN HOSPITALS?
>> Reporter: ACCORDING TO
DOCUMENTS, SHE ADMITTED SHE WAS
ADDICTED TO TRAMADOL.
RATHER THAN SUSPENDING HER
LICENSE, SHE WAS ALLOWED TO
KEEP WORKING.
KEEP WORKING. SHE HAD TO ENROLL IN A
REHABILITATION PROGRAM.
REHABILITATION PROGRAM. >> THE STIPULATION WAS SHE WAS
SUPPOSED TO PRACTICE WITH THE
HOSPITALS KNOWING SHE WAS IN
THIS PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM. SHE WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HANDLE
CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES.
CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES. >> Reporter: THE HOSPITAL SHE
WAS WORKING AT WAS NEVER
NOTIFIED.
NOTIFIED.
NOTIFIED. THEY ONLY FOUND OUT AFTER SHE
TESTED POSITIVE FOR FENTANYL.
>> WHY IS THE NURSING BOARD NOT
COMMUNICATING WITH HOSPITALS TO
LET THEM KNOW THIS IS GOING ON.
>> Reporter: WE ASKED THE
NURSING BOARD THIS QUESTION.
THE SYSTEM IS NOT SET UP FOR
THE BOARD TO ALERT HOSPITALS.
IT IS UP TO A NURSE WITH AN
ADDICTION TO NOTIFY EMPLOYERS
THEMSELVES.
THEMSELVES. THIS NURSE NEVER DID.
SHE WORKED FOR TWO MONTHS
BEFORE VIOLATING THE TERMS.
THE NURSE ONLY THEN REMOVED
FROM PRACTICE.
FROM PRACTICE. THE NURSING BOARD TELLS US THIS
WAS AN UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT
WHERE THE NURSE VIOLATED HER
REHABILITATION AGREEMENT.
REHABILITATION AGREEMENT. SHE SAID IT IS IMPORTANT TO
NOTE THAT THIS IS AN EXCEPTION
TO MOST NURSES PRACTICE.
THAT TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, NO
PATIENTS WERE HARMED.
SCOTTSDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS
BUILDING A CRIMINAL CASE.
ACCORDING TO SEARCH WARRANT
DOCUMENTS, INVESTIGATORS
DOCUMENTS, INVESTIGATORS CONCERNED BY THE SHEER NUMBER
OF PILLS THE NURSE PRESCRIBED.
SHE MIGHT BE SELLING THEM.
>> WHEN I SPOKE TO THE DEA,
THEY TOLD ME OTHER THAN OXLEY
THIS WAS THE SECOND MOST SOLD
DRUG IN ARIZONA.
>> Reporter: AFTER SEARCHING
THE NURSE'S HOME AND RECOVERING
SEVERAL MILES OF FENTANYL AND
MORPHINE, THE NURSE WAS
ARRESTED IN 2017.
THE POLICE RECOMMENDED SHE BE
CHARGED WITH A NUMBER OF
FELONIES INCLUDING FORGERY,
IDENTITY THEFT, AND OBTAINING
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS ILLEGALLY.
>> NOTHING HAS HAPPENED WITH
THIS.
THIS.
THIS. ♪
♪
♪ >>
♪ >> Reporter: TWO YEARS LATER,
THE CASE IS SITTING WITH THE
MARICOPA COUNTY ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE.
OFFICE.
OFFICE. A
OFFICE. A SPOKESPERSON TOLD US THEY CAN
CONFIRM THE CASE IS PENDING.
THE NURSE HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED
OR CONVICTED AND SHE HAS
ALREADY SERVED HER SUSPENSION
FROM THE NURSING BOARD, SHE IS
ON PROBATION AND ABLE TO
PRACTICE AGAIN.
PRACTICE AGAIN. THIS IS AN IDEA THAT IS HARD TO
FATHOM FOR THIS DOCTOR.
>> YOU JUST THAT NURSE TAKING
CARE OF YOUR SICK LOVED ONE IS
COMPETENT, COMPASSIONATE AND
DOING THE RIGHT THING.
>> Reporter: WE HAVE NOT
IDENTIFIED THE NURSE BECAUSE
SHE HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED.
IF SHE IS CHARGED AND
CONVICTED, HER LICENSE WILL BE
SUSPENDED