This post was originally published on this site
EUREKA — A former nurse at Maple Lawn Healthcare in Eureka has been sentenced to two years’ probation and 30 hours of community service after admitting to stealing for personal use narcotics intended for patients.
Tracy Long, 32, of Pekin, pleaded guilty to unlawful acquisition of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony, in Woodford County Circuit Court.
The Illinois State Police said Long was working at the nursing home in August and September 2015 and reported that she administered alprazolam and hydrocodone to residents on Sept. 4.
A review of surveillance video revealed that Long did not enter the residents’ rooms for several hours before or after the time she claimed to have administered the medication, state police said.
When confronted by ISP Medicaid Fraud Control Bureau investigators, Long admitted to falsifying the reports and that she stole the narcotics for personal use, police said.
“The misuse of opioid based prescription drugs is a serious national problem,” ISP Director Leo P. Schmitz said in a statement. “Educational initiatives and aggressive law enforcement efforts combined with sentences which mandate substance abuse evaluation and treatment are necessary for fighting this growing epidemic.”
In addition to probation and community service, Long also was ordered to undergo a substance abuse evaluation and treatment program and was further ordered not to work in any position that gives her access to controlled substances.