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LEE COUNTY –
More information has been released concerning a former nurse from Lee Memorial Hospital who faces more than 100 charges for stealing medication including morphine.
Alex Rodriguez, 28, faces charges of fraud, forgery and drug-related counts. NBC2 learned he will keep an active license in Florida because the Department of Health must wait 10 days after probable cause is found to confirm they’ve received a complaint and if they will take action.
Additionally, the hospital’s Board of Directors wasn’t notified of Alex Rodriguez’s arrest until NBC2 came asking questions. Now that they have been notified they said they believe no harm has been done to any patients.
In a letter to board members, Lee Memorial says, “We have no reason to believe his actions caused patient harm and have a review underway to confirm this.”
But those with loved ones at the hospital aren’t so convinced.
“The patients are the ones that are in jeopardy and my best friend is up there right now,” said Debra Crane. “That’s a concern.”
Lee County authorities said Rodriguez admitted to stealing morphine and replacing syringes with water. However, Lee Memorial did not tell NBC-2 if they had notified all patients who were under Rodriguez care. It’s a situation frustrating for fellow nurses like Bobbi Mills.
“Being a nurse is a tough job, stealing things is not part of it,” Mills said. “Morphine is given for pain and people come into the ER often because they have pain. Until they can be evaluated, they make them comfortable. You’re not making someone comfortable if you fill the syringe with something else.”
Investigators said they were able to discover Rodriguez’s plan by tracking his employee badge on the hospital’s dispensing system and medical records system after checking out medication from a refrigerator.
Stay with NBC2 and NBC2.com for further updates on this developing story.