A Massachusetts-based nurse who worked at a long-term care and rehabilitation facility has pleaded not guilty to replacing a hospice patient’s oxycodone with a household cleaner, reports Boston.com
Federal authorities allege that Lori Robertson of New Hampshire removed the liquid oxycodone from a hospice and dementia patient’s prescription bottle with a syringe and replaced it with the cleaner.
It is not stated in the documents whether or not the cleaner was administered to the patient or how it was discovered that the Schedule II controlled substance had been swopped.
Robertson was charged with one count of tampering with a consumer product,“with reckless disregard for the risk that another person would be placed in danger of death and bodily injury, and under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to such risk,” the documents allege
She was released from custody on probation on condition that she does not contact the victims or witnesses or use alcohol or other substances, submits to a drug test, and undergoes a substance abuse treatment programme.
She will reappear in court on 24 November.
Boston.com article – Feds: Nurse replaced liquid oxy with household cleaner (Open access)
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