Florida Strips Two Nurses of Their Licenses Due to Drug Involvement

Drugs are big business. Many people in Florida and across the country are addicted to prescription drugs and unfortunately, those in the medical industry often capitalize on this.

The Florida State Health Department recently revoked the licenses of two nurses charged with drug violations. One case involved a registered nurse in Coral Springs. In November 2016, she tested positive for the drugs hydromorphone and fentanyl, even though she had no current prescriptions for either drug.

It was found that the nurse had given both drugs to a patient she was caring not long before she had her drug screen. Her license was restricted and she was put in the Intervention Program for Nurses. While in the program, though, she tested positive for morphine. She is not allowed to practice as a registered nurse unless an evaluator from the Intervention Program for Nurses says otherwise.

In a separate case, a nurse from South Miami-Dade lost both his nursing and pharmacy technician licenses after illegally obtaining controlled substances such as oxymorphone and oxycodone and attempting to sell both drugs. He had conspired with pharmacy owners to run a Medicare scam. He was sentenced to over nine years in prison for possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute. The others involved were also charged with drug dealing and health care fraud. They too are facing prison sentences.

Healthcare Fraud Among Nurses  

Unfortunately, nurses are becoming more involved in fraud cases involving the health care system. Some high-profile cases have involved millions of dollars in fraud.

Why are nurses committing fraud? Many simply give in to temptation. They have access to patients’ medical and personal information. They also have access to various types of drugs, and they are often unsupervised.

Additionally, there is often conflict between nurses. It can be extremely stressful dealing with patients, and this causes nurses to lash out at each other. Some feel compelled to compete with the others, and this can cause some nurses to lose their good judgment.

Long hours and little sleep tend to take its toll on nurses and workers in the medical field. That’s why medical malpractice rates continue to rise. It could also be a reason why nurses may not make good decisions and engage in unethical behavior. However, this does not excuse their behavior. Nurses still have a responsibility to make good choices.

Keep Your License with Help From a Tampa Nursing License Lawyer 

Nurses are there to comfort us in our time of need. They have a duty to help those suffering from injuries and illnesses. When they take advantage of their profession and use it to obtain drugs or engage in fraud, they can lose their license.

If you lose your license, getting it back and returning to your nursing career is no easy task. Get legal representation from the Law Offices of David P. Rankin, P.A. I am a Tampa administrative lawyer who focuses on licensing issues for nurses and other professionals. I encourage you to review my experience in these matters at my firm’s web site. Contact my office today for a consultation by calling (813) 968-6633.

Resources:

miamiherald.com/news/health-care/article166304837.html

streamlineverify.com/nurses-commit-fraud/