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Florida nurse arrested for stealing fentanyl from hospital, sheriff says

An investigation found she had been stealing bags of the opioid and covering her tracks since October.

BRANDON, Fla. — A nurse at Florida Brandon Hospital ICU was arrested for allegedly stealing 17 bags of fentanyl.

Staff at the hospital reached out to detectives on Tuesday, Dec. 12 about an internal investigation. 

They'd reportedly found that over at least the past two months, ICU nurse Lisa Williams, 55, had been stealing 100 mL fentanyl IV bags, refilling them with an unknown substance and putting the tampered bags back into circulation. One of the IV bags she allegedly tampered with was recovered and is currently being tested by the FDA.

On Dec. 19, Williams was charged with 17 counts of fentanyl trafficking and grand theft of a controlled substance. She was formally arrested two days later.

"I am appalled by the betrayal of trust exhibited by this nurse... [Her] actions not only jeopardize lives but undermine the fundamental principles of healthcare,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said. 

“It is difficult to comprehend how someone who is supposed to save lives is instead risking them for personal gain," State Attorney Suzy Lopez added.

Laura Stauter, the director of communications and community engagement at HCA Florida Brandon Hospital, provided the following statement to 10 Tampa Bay.

Patient safety is our top priority at HCA Florida Brandon Hospital. We have extensive safeguards in place to ensure medications are administered and accounted for properly. These safeguards led to the discovery of some discrepancies. After a timely internal investigation, hospital leadership reported the incident to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the state board of nursing. The individual is no longer employed at our hospital.

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