A nurse has stolen heavy painkillers such as oxycodone and fentanyl from hospitals because of an addiction. He used those substances during his shifts, and he helped patients under the influence. That is why the man should never work in healthcare again. He has received a professional ban from the regional disciplinary court in Eindhoven. It was not disclosed in which hospitals the man worked.
The man started working at a first hospital in 2016. A year later, the hospital dismissed him for stealing painkillers for his own use. He also used it during working hours. The man acknowledged what he had done and went to an addiction clinic. That is why the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate took no further measures against him.
He got a job at another hospital, but didn’t say anything about his addiction, even though the inspectorate had advised him to do so. The man also made a mistake at that hospital and in 2019 he was also sent away from there.
Chance of mistakes
The use of the painkillers created the chance that the nurse would make mistakes. He thereby endangered patients and the quality of care. It makes no difference whether individual patients have actually been at risk or have suffered damage, the disciplinary court ruled.
The nurse has already had herself removed from the so-called BIG register, the overview of recognized healthcare employees. As a result, he is currently unable to work in healthcare, but the decision of the disciplinary committee means that he can never come back anyway.