Nurse Admits To Stealing Meds From St. Cloud Hospital
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A 42-year-old Kimball nurse pleaded guilty Wednesday to syphoning medication from intravenous bags at a St. Cloud hospital, according to the Justice Department.
Blake Zenner pleaded guilty to one count of substance fraud before Judge Patrick J. Schiltz. In his agreement, he admitted that from November of 2010 to March of 2011, he accessed lockboxes and used syringes to remove Dilaudid (aka hydromorphone hydrochloride) from intravenous bags intended for patients. Sometimes, he injected the bags with saline solution to make up for the missing Dilaudid before returning the bags to lockboxes.
Zenner's operation caused about 25 hospital patients to be infected by bacteria, the department said.
Schiltz will sentence Zenner on a date that has yet to be scheduled. Zenner faces a maximum sentence of up to four years in prison.
