Traveler Nurse Who Worked in NH, Maine Suspended

The New Hampshire Board of Nursing has suspended a nurse who worked in Concord earlier this month from practicing in New Hampshire and Maine after an investigation into missing narcotics, according to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office.

Kerry Bridges, a nurse who worked in both states, has had her privilege to practice as a registered nurse suspended, “on an emergency basis,” pending a formal hearing to be held next month, according to a press statement. At the hearing, the nursing board will determine whether Bridge’s “diverted or attempted to divert controlled drugs, documented administration of narcotics without a doctor’s order, and had missing or unaccounted for narcotics,” after an alleged incident in the emergency room of Concord Hospital earlier this year.

According to Concord Hospital, Bridges worked in the ER from March 27, to April 30, 2015. Her contract was terminated on May 1, after the revelation of the allegation.

On May 5, the Concord Police Department began an investigation into the allegation. Suspicion of theft was raised by a staff nurse leading to an audit review of Bridges’ medication dispensing report, according to the hospital. The review initiated its drug diversion investigation team to begin an immediate internal audit of medication administration practices of Bridges and possible medication theft.

Two staffers reported that Bridges allegedly administered 2 milligrams of Dilaudid to a patient “but did not have a valid order for that administration,” according to the report. The investigation into the missing narcotics stated that Bridges is allegedly suspected of diverting 10.5 milligrams of morphine, 3 milligrams of Dilaudid, 125 micrograms of fentanyl, a five milligram tablet of Vicodin, and a 0.5 milligram tablet of Klonopin.

“No system is foolproof, however, Concord Hospital has worked for many years to continuously improve our medication safety process,” said Joe Conley, Concord Hospital Chief Operating Officer. “One of the most important elements of that system is surveillance, particularly on the part of fellow employees. This incident illustrates that the audit/safety systems we currently have in place work.”

Traveler nurses are licensed nurses that are contracted to work in hospitals for a limited amount of time, usually about 13 weeks, according to the hospital, when there is extremely high patient volume or nursing absences. The hospital stated that it’s “confident no patients were injured or harmed while under this individual’s care, however, our investigation continues. Should we learn that patients may have been impacted, we will personally contact them.” Officials at the hospital also said that it rarely uses traveler nurses, according to a statement.