YORK, Maine — Patient care at York Hospital was not affected by a nurse’s alleged theft of prescription drugs, according to York Hospital President and CEO Jud Knox.
“No patients had medication withheld and no patients received a substitute medication,” Knox said in a statement released by the hospital. “No patient was harmed as a result of the theft.”
The internal process for monitoring prescription disbursement is what detected the missing medication and confirmed no patients’ delivery of medication was altered, substituted or delayed, he said. After receiving a complaint Sept. 15 of theft of narcotics by a York Hospital employee, York police Sept. 19 and interviewed that employee, Nicolle Dauphinee, 45, who admitted to diverting the narcotic injections from patients for personal use, according to Detective Sgt. Thomas Cryan.
Dauphinee allegedly took hydromorphone injections from patients and injected them into herself on site, according to police, who determined this had been ongoing from June until her dismissal in September. Dauphinee, of Kennebunkport, was charged with a Class C felony of stealing drugs and is scheduled to appear in York County Superior Court in Alfred on Oct. 30.
Kathy Lane, leader of nursing, said Dauphinee did not display suspicious behavior or signs she was under any kind of influence while caring for patients, according to the hospital’s statement.
John Phylis, leader of pharmaceutical care, said the hospital’s prescription monitoring and reporting system, which detected the missing medications and led to the nurse’s separation from the hospital, is “comprehensive and accurate.”
York Hospital continues to review its medication handling processes and is prepared to implement any changes that will increase patient safety, Knox said.
In April, another York Hospital nurse who worked in the emergency room, Michael T. Worrick-Soule of Wells, was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay more than $12,000 in fines and restitution for the theft of prescription drugs from an estimated 250 patient accounts. The hospital discovered the theft during a routine record review that showed discrepancies in the removal of narcotic medications, according to Knox. No patients were harmed in that incident, Knox said after the theft was discovered in 2012.
Knox said, at the time, the hospital would look into processes for random drug screening of staff and for all new employees. Drug screening is required for all traveling staff, he said. On Thursday, hospital spokesman Jody Merrill said the hospital evaluated drug screening and determined it would be more effective to focus on improving the monitoring of prescriptions.
“We apologize for anything occurring at York Hospital that may have an impact on our patients’ and community’s confidence in us,” Knox said. “Our ability to provide excellent care in a safe, comforting environment for all of our patients and their families is the top priority, and we regret anything that disrupts those efforts.”
The hospital encourages anyone struggling with a substance abuse problem to contact their local substance abuse treatment program or call York Hospital for more information at 207-351-2385 or visit yorkhospital.com.