>>>
>>> A
>>> A MINNESOTA NURSE ASSIGNED TO TAKE CARE OF AN ELDERLY
WOMAN INSTEAD STEALS HER
PRESCRIPTION MEDS.
PRESCRIPTION MEDS. LEAVING HER IN AGONIZING PAIN.
THAT ALONE IS DISTURBING.
THEN CONSIDER WHAT KARE 11
INVESTIGATES FOUND OUT.
STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS KNEW
THE NURSE WAS A RISK BUT
DIDN'T STOP HIM.
LAUREN LEAMANCZYK SAYS THE
CRACKS IN THE SYSTEM COULD BE
PUTTING OTHERS IN DANGER TOO.
>> Reporter: FOR LAVONNE
BORSHEIM THE PAIN WAS SO
INTENSE --
INTENSE -- >> IT WASN'T EASY TO TAKE.
>> Reporter: ROGER SAYS HIS
BRIDE OF 60 YEARS WANTED TO
DIE.
DIE.
DIE. >>
DIE. >> SHE ASKED GOD TO TAKE HER
HOME.
HOME.
HOME. TO
HOME. TO HEAVEN.
TO HEAVEN. BECAUSE SHE COULD GO ON.
>> Reporter: SHE HAD BEEN
PRESCRIBED SO MANY OPIOIDS --
>> I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY I
WAS HAVING SO MUCH PAIN.
ALL THE TIME.
>> Reporter: EVEN THE DOCTORS
COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY THEY
WEREN'T WORKING UNTIL THEY
FINALLY DID A TEST.
>> NOTHING SHOWS UP IN HER
URINE THAT ANY PAIN MEDICINE
IS THERE.
IS THERE.
IS THERE. >> Reporter: NO MEDS IN HER
SYSTEM?
SYSTEM?
SYSTEM? HOW COULD THAT BE?
LAVONNE BORSHEIM HAD HER
MEDICATIONS LAID OUT EACH WEEK
BY A HOME HEALTH NURSE.
>> WE THOUGHT THAT HE WAS OUR
FRIEND.
FRIEND.
FRIEND. >> Reporter: A MAN THEY
TRUSTED.
TRUSTED.
TRUSTED. >> HE BROKE OUR TRUST.
>> Reporter: AFTER THAT
STUNNING TEST, THEIR DAUGHTERS
CALLED POLICE AND SET UP A
STING.
STING.
STING. WHEN OFFICERS SEARCHED LA
VANG'S CAR, RECORDS SHOW THEY
FOUND PILLS AND SEVERAL EMPTY
BOTTLES BELONGING TO LAVONNE.
>> HOW WOULD YOU FEEL?
>> VERY VIOLATED.
>> Reporter: EVEN WORSE, NOT
ONLY HAD HE BEEN TAKING THE
OXYCODONE FOR MONTHS, LA VANG
ADMITTED THAT HE HAD REPLACED
THEM WITH TYLENOL.
INVESTIGATORS FOUND ALLERGY
MEDICATION, PILLS THAT MADE
LAVONNE LETHARGIC BUT LEFT HER
IN EXCRUCIATING PAIN.
>> IT BROKE OUR HEARTS.
WE RIGHT AWAY FELT HE MUST BE
DOING THIS TO OTHERS TOO.
>> Reporter: TURNS OUT THERE
HUNCH WAS RIGHT.
STATE REGULATORS HAD FAILED TO
ACT.
ACT.
ACT. KARE
ACT. KARE 11 HAS LEARNED THAT
MONTHS BEFORE VANG STEPPED
FOOT INTO THE HOME HE HAD BEEN
FIRED FROM TWO HOME HEALTH
AGENCIES IN LATE 2017.
IN BOTH CASES AS MANY AS EIGHT
PATIENCE ACCUSED HIM OF
STEALING MEDICATIONS READ WHAT
ELSE DID THEY KNOW?
IN MARCH RIGHT AROUND THE TIME
VANG STARTED, THE DEPARTMENT
OF HEALTH CC'D THE BOARD ABOUT
A NURSE THEY FOUND RESPONSIBLE
FOR MISSING PAIN MEDICATIONS.
VANG IS NOT NAMED BUT KARE 11
HAS CONFIRMED HE IS THAT
NURSE.
NURSE.
NURSE. >>
NURSE. >> THAT'S A VERY, VERY SERIOUS
THING.
THING.
THING. VERY SERIOUS, IT DEMANDS
ACTION.
ACTION.
ACTION. >> Reporter: DID THE BOARD
TAKE ACTION?
TAKE ACTION? NOT THAT THE BORSHEIMS OR THE
PUBLIC COULD SEE.
NOT AFTER THOSE FIRINGS IN
2017.
2017.
2017. NOT
2017. NOT AFTER THAT DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH FINDING IN 2018.
IT TOOK FIVE MORE MONTHS, NO
ACTION UNTIL AFTER POLICE
ARRESTED AND CHARGED VANG WITH
STEALING FROM LAVONNE.
AT THE TIME OF THE ARREST,
VANG TOLD POLICE HE WAS
STARTING AT A PLACE CALLED
FIRST STAND IN A FEW DAYS.
ANOTHER JOB WITH ACCESS TO
PATIENT PAIN MEDS.
>> IT'S REALLY TROUBLING THAT
SOMEBODY CAN ENGAGE IN THIS
KIND OF BEHAVIOR FOR SO LONG
AND NOT GET STOPPED.
>> Reporter: REPRESENTATIVE
TINA THOUGHT THIS PROBLEM HAD
BEEN FIXED WHEN THEY GAVE THE
BOARD MORE POWER.
THAT WAS IN RESPONSE TO A 2015
AUDIT THAT FOUND THE BOARD OF
NURSING HAS ACTED TOO SLOWLY
TO SUSPEND NURSES WHEN PUBLIC
SAFETY IS AT RISK.
WE SHOWED HER VANG'S HISTORY.
>> WOULD YOU VIEW THAT AS RISK
TO THE PUBLIC?
>> I CERTAINLY WOULD.
>> WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU?
>> IT TELLS ME THAT THE
PROCESS IS FAR TOO SLOW.
>> Reporter: THE DIRECTOR OF
THE BOARD DECLINED AN ON
CAMERA INTERVIEW.
CAMERA INTERVIEW. SHE SAYS THEY HAVE REMOVED
OTHER NURSES THROUGH
AGREEMENTS BUT FOR A TEMPORARY
SUSPENSION, THEY MUST
DETERMINE WHETHER THE BOARD
HAS SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO
PROVE A VIOLATION OF THE LAW.
BUT TAKE A LOOK AT THESE
NUMBERS.
NUMBERS.
NUMBERS. THE NUMBER OF TIMES THE BOARD
HAS ORDERED A TEMPORARY
SUSPENSION INITIALLY SPIKED
AFTER THAT 2015 AUDIT.
BUT IT'S FALLEN EVERY YEAR
SINCE.
SINCE.
SINCE. JUST TWO IN THE PAST TWO
YEARS.
YEARS.
YEARS. SINCE COMPLAINTS ARE NOT
PUBLIC, THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW
HOW MANY OTHER SLIP THROUGH
THE CRACKS.
THE CRACKS. >> Reporter: YOUR REPORT HAS
PUT A SPOTLIGHT ON A HOLE IN
THE SYSTEM.
THE SYSTEM. >> Reporter: THIS FALL VANG
WAS SENTENCED TO 18 MONTHS.
UNUSUALLY LONG SENTENCE
BECAUSE OF WHAT PROSECUTORS
CALLED CALLOUS DISREGARD AND
CAUSING LAVONNE TO SUFFER
NEEDLESSLY FOR MONTHS.
LAVONNE'S HEALTH HAS SINCE
DECLINED.
DECLINED.
DECLINED. >> SHE IS GOING THROUGH AS
MUCH PAIN AND MISERY.
>> Reporter: SORE HAS THEIR
FAITH IN THOSE SHOULD HAVE
PROTECTED THEM.
PROTECTED THEM. >> HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL
THAT NO ONE STOPPED HIM?
>> SOMEBODY DIDN'T DO THEIR
JOB.
JOB.
JOB. >>
JOB. >> Reporter: WE REACHED OUT TO
EACH EMPLOYER AND THE ONE WHO
HIRED HIM AND SENT HIM TO
LAVONNE'S HOUSE TOLD HIM THEY
DID DO A BACKGROUND CHECK.
IT WAS CLEAN AND IT WOULD BE
BECAUSE NONE OF THIS HAS BEEN
PUBLIC.
PUBLIC.
PUBLIC. HAD VANG NOT BEEN ARRESTED AND
INVESTIGATORS NOT DUG INTO HIS
PAST, IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE
THAT NONE OF HIS HISTORY WOULD
HAVE EVER COME TO LIGHT.
>> SO I'M WONDERING WHAT WAS
THE BOARD WAITING FOR, WHAT
FURTHER EVIDENCE DID THEY
NEED?
NEED?
NEED? >>
NEED? >> THE BOARD LEGALLY CAN'T
TALK ABOUT VANG'S CASE BUT
THEY DO SAY THEY NEED ENOUGH
EVIDENCE TO GO BEFORE AN
ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE IN 30
DAYS AND THEY SAY SOMETIMES
EMPLOYERS WHEN THEY FIRE