Thursday, September 1, 2010

A federal grand jury in Wichita has indicted a registered nurse on charges of diluting morphine for patients at a Halstead nursing home where she formerly worked.

Deborah J. Riggs, of Goddard, was charged Wednesday with 10 counts of tampering with a consumer product and adulteration of drugs.

Prosecutors allege the 55-year-old nurse diluted the morphine solutions of five patients at the Halstead Health and Rehabilitation facility where she worked from March 2008 until this past March.

The indictment alleges that Riggs had been convicted in 1998 on federal charges of acquiring controlled substances by fraud and sentenced to two years probation. In February 2000 the Kansas Board of Nursing suspended Riggs’ nursing license, but stayed the suspension to allow her to continue nursing if she met certain conditions and requirements. In August 2008, the Kansas Board of Nursing suspended Riggs’ license for drug abuse and stealing narcotics while she was a nurse at Wesley Medical. The nursing board stayed the suspension.

If convicted, Riggs faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and fine up to $250,000 on each count of tampering, and a maximum penalty of three years and a fine up to $10,000 on each count of adulterating a drug.

A judge told attorneys during a court hearing Thursday, Riggs admitted she had been addicted to prescription pain killers for 20 years. Riggs was released on bond conditions that she continue to attend a substance abuse and therapy program. Her next court hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Halstead Health and Rehabilitation Center said it was not aware of Riggs' prior conviction and suspensions by the Board of Nursing. Her license was in good standing in 2008 when she was hired.
The Board of Nursing said her history was on its website, Halstead must not have looked far enough into her background.