BC nurse swiped narcotics from work, then worked while high

A BC nurse with a history of swiping narcotics from work has been suspended for one week. According to an Oct. 24 BC College of Nurses and Midwives decision, the unnamed registered nurse was diverting narcotics for their own use and falsifying medical records to hide the missing drugs. The nurse was also working while impaired and has a history of pilfering narcotics from work. The decision said the nurse had previously been disciplined by the regulator although it gave no details about when this took place or what penalty or conditions the nurse received. The College said the current instances took place between April and August 2023, at an undisclosed location. READ MORE: Interior Health fined $274,000 after Penticton hospital staff exposed to illicit drugs https://infotel.ca/newsitem/interior-health-fined-274000-after-penticton-hospital-staff-exposed-to-illicit-drugs/it107013 Along with a one-week suspension, the nurse will now be monitored while working for the next three years and will have to follow a return-to-work plan. They have also been barred from working overtime or night shifts and are not allowed to supervise students or new staff. They will also have limited access to narcotics and other controlled substances. READ MORE: Steep fine for Kelowna pub that sold teen a can of stout https://infotel.ca/newsitem/steep-fine-for-kelowna-pub-that-sold-teen-a-can-of-stout/it107032 The registered nurse is one of a handful this year to have been disciplined for taking narcotics from work. In one case a nurse had been replacing the narcotics with over-the-counter drugs https://infotel.ca/newsitem/bc-nurse-swipes-drugs-at-work-and-puts-different-meds-back-in-the-box/it106537 . Last year, 11 nurses were reprimanded for swiping narcotics from work with punishments varying from having conditions placed on their practice to a three-month suspension for a nurse who had been pilfering drugs for seven years. https://infotel.ca/newsitem/bc-nurse-who-stole-narcotics-for-seven-years-gets-suspended/it96484 In the decision the regulator said it is satisfied that the terms will protect the public. To contact a reporter for this story, email Ben Bulmer mailto:bbulmer@infonews.ca  or call (250) 309-5230 or email the editor mailto:news@infonews.ca . You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom mailto:tips@infonews.ca  and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here https://infotel.ca/newsletter .