B.C. nurse diverted opioids and worked while impaired, college says

A nurse holds a tablet in this stock image. (Shutterstock)

A B.C. nurse will have limited access to opioids upon returning to the job after diverting the drugs from the workplace and practising while impaired, says the regulatory body for the profession.

The nurse—who is not named due to medical privacy laws—diverted opioids between January and May 2024, according to a consent agreement with the B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives approved Wednesday.

The college says the registrant was diagnosed with a disability with a “causal relationship to the practice issues” and will undergo treatment.

“The inquiry committee recognizes that nurses and midwives, like any member of the public, may grapple with health issues that may impact their ability to practice safely, competently, and ethically,” an online summary of the agreement reads.

“BCCNM expects that registrants will work only when they are fit to do so and will remove themselves from practise when they are unwell.”

The college says the nurse will be medically monitored for three years, must return to work with limits on their ability to access or handle opioids, and will access their employer’s disability office while in recovery.

“The inquiry committee is satisfied that the terms will protect the public,” the decision reads.