Nurse Pleads Guilty
To Diverting Drugs

Atty. Gen. William H. Sorrell announced on March 28 that Jennifer Whitney, age 29, of Quechee pled guilty on March 26, in Vermont District Court for Orange County, to one count of obtaining a regulated drug by deceit, a felony, and one count of recklessly endangering another person, a misdemeanor.

Ms. Whitney admitted that she used her position as a licensed registered nurse at Gifford Medical Center in Randolph to remove suspiciously high amounts of morphine from the Pyxis computerized narcotic security system.

She also admitted to injecting herself with diverted morphine while on duty and working her shifts on the Medical-Surgical Unit, Howell Pavilion.

According to the affidavit filed at the court, Whitney "removed suspiciously high amounts of morphine" on behalf of her patients between June 13 and July 16, 2007 "creating numerous instances in which she would be required to waste excess narcotics."

Drugs diverted included 373 mgs. of morphine, and also percocet, vicodin, darvocet, meperidine, and hydromorphone.

Ms. Whitney received a sentence of 18 months to three years, all suspended, except 90 days to serve in jail. The court ordered the standard conditions of probation along with several special conditions including that she not acquire any regulated drugs without a prescription; that she undergo substance abuse treatment and submit to random drug testing; that she make restitution to Gifford Medical Center for the cost of the drugs diverted and a $1,000 donation to the Clara Martin Center in Randolph; and that she participate as a speaker in education programs on drug diversion.

The State Board of Nursing suspended Ms. Whitney’s nursing license. Gifford Medical Center terminated her employment, and the federal office of the inspector general is likely to exclude Ms. Whitney from working in any Medicare- or Medicaid- funded facilities for up to five years.