Cops: Nurse Stole Patient's Painkiller—Before Surgery

When he was agony, she told him to go to his 'happy place'
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 10, 2011 7:00 PM CST
Cops: Nurse Stole Patient's Painkiller—Before Surgery
File photo   (Shutter Stock)

Ow, ow, ow: A nurse in Minnesota allegedly shot herself up with some of the pain medication allotted to a patient just before his surgery for kidney stones, reports the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. When the patient was in agony on the operating table, the nurse told him to "man up" and to go to his "happy place" to ignore the pain. He later told authorities it felt like he had "very long needles going through my skin and down into my kidneys."

For good reason: Authorities say he got only 150 micrograms of the opium-based painkiller, instead of the necessary 500. His 33-year-old female nurse has been charged with felony theft of a controlled substance. She resigned upon being confronted with the allegations and admitted an addiction to pain medication.
(More nurse stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X