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SPRINGFIELD – A former nurse at Baystate Franklin Medical Center admitted siphoning morphine and another powerful painkiller intended for patients, and replacing the medication with saline solution while in the throes of addiction.

Daniel Herlocker, 41, who worked in the hospital’s intensive care unit, pleaded guilty to acquiring hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and morphine by deception and subterfuge in U.S. District Court on Thursday. He faces a maximum of eight years in prison after admitting to the two criminal counts.

He told U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni that he took a sterile needle to withdraw the drugs from a so-called “carpuject,” or automated syringe, secreted them into containers for his own use then refilled the syringes with saline. He then resealed the packaging with Krazy Glue, Herlocker said.

Another nurse on the unit discovered the theft when he or she suspected one of the carpujects appeared to have been tampered with. The hospital conducted an audit and discovered “an unusual number” of orders and subsequent cancellations for the drugs by Herlocker, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Goodwin.

Herlocker told Mastroianni that he intended to steal the drugs for his own use on approximately 100 occasions over three or four months in 2014, but reconsidered about half the time.

“There were so many times when I went in and fully knew what I was doing was horrendous. I fought it a number of times and did not go through with my actions. Addiction is a horrible thing,” said Herlocker, a nurse for 11 years before his firing from the medical center.

Goodwin said they could not identify any patients who were necessarily harmed by the theft, as it was unclear which syringes were administered to which patients.

In a previous interview, Baystate Health spokesman Benjamin Craft said the hospital launched an immediate investigation after Herlocker admitted to the scheme.

“We performed an exhaustive investigation into the possibility of patients being harmed by these actions, closely examining the records of any patient who had potential to be affected. There is no evidence whatsoever of any harm to patients or any potential future risk to patients from these actions.,” Craft said. “Since this event we have conducted additional training of every RN and pharmacy technician at Baystate Franklin to build their skills in recognizing potential tampering or misuse.”

In court on Thursday, Herlocker rued his role in the profession he left behind.

“I clearly enjoyed my profession. I’ve helped people pass away peacefully. I’ve helped people survive heart attacks. I’ve been there when babies were born … I violated the trust of Franklin Medical Center, my patients and my own integrity,” he told Mastroianni. “Every day I participate in (Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous). There isn’t anything I want to do more than deal with these addictive tendencies. I am very, very apologetic for my actions.”

Herlocker is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31; he was released on his own recognizance pending sentencing.