Arizona VA

Arizona VA Nurse Pleads Guilty to Stealing Pain Medication From Patients

…Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), announced today that Diane M. Limpus, of Prescott, AZ, was sentenced to 60 months’ probation, 360 hours’ community service and ordered to pay a fine of $2,000. Ms. Limpus previously had pleaded guilty to one felony count of obtaining the administration of a narcotic drug, and one misdemeanor count of reckless endangerment.

Merriman stated the prosecution followed a joint criminal investigation by his Western Field Office, the Prescott, AZ Area Narcotics Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Security Service at the VA Medical Center, Prescott, AZ, into several instances wherein Demerol was diverted and replaced with saline solution. Demerol is used to mitigate pain and saline solution has no such effect on a patient. Merriman further stated that Ms. Limpus was a licensed practical nurse working in the Domiciliary at the VA Medical Center and, as such, was responsible for the administration of medication to the patients. Limpus was immediately placed on administrative leave by medical center officials and later resigned her VA employment.