Lengthy Investigation Uncovers Alleged Drug Diversion
A former intensive care unit nurse in Oregon, Dani Marie Schofield, has been arrested on charges of diverting fentanyl from medical drips and replacing it with tap water. The Medford Police Department announced Schofield’s arrest following a thorough investigation into drug diversion at Asante Rogue Regional Hospital between 2022 and 2023.
Rising infections spark investigation
The seven-month investigation commenced in early December 2023 after hospital officials noted a surge in central line infection cases among ICU patients. An internal probe revealed that Schofield, who left the hospital in July 2023, had access to all affected patients.
“There was concern that Schofield had been diverting patients’ liquid fentanyl for her personal use and then replacing it with tap water, causing serious infections,” the police department stated.
Schofield had agreed to a voluntary suspension of her nursing license in November, pending the investigation’s outcome. Following interviews with nearly 100 individuals, a grand jury indicted Schofield on 44 counts of second-degree assault.
“A person commits Assault in the 2nd Degree if the person intentionally or knowingly causes serious physical injury to another,” explained the police department. “The 44 charges reflect the total number of patients that this investigation revealed to have been affected by Schofield’s criminal actions.”
Wrongful death lawsuit
In addition to the assault charges, Schofield was named in a wrongful death lawsuit filed in February. The lawsuit alleged that she stole fentanyl from a 65-year-old patient’s medical drip, leading to his death. However, medical experts consulted in the case noted that the questionable deaths could not be directly attributed to central line infections.
Ongoing fentanyl crisis
Fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid used as a pain reliever, has been at the center of the country’s overdose crisis, with thefts from hospitals being a persistent issue. The Medford Police Department’s investigation into Schofield’s actions underscores the gravity of this problem within medical settings.
