Former Nurse Admits to Swapping Stolen Fentanyl Vials with Water: FDA Report

A former Oklahoma nurse has admitted to pilfering pain medications intended for patients and substituting them with water.

The Food & Drug Administration reports that Rebecca Elaine Holloway confessed to stealing fentanyl and hydromorphone designated for intensive care patients during her tenure at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Mercy Hospital in Ardmore, Oklahoma.

The 32-year-old "removed the pain medication from their vials, refilled the empty vials with tap water, and returned the tampered vials to the controlled storage locker."

U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson stated, "Our healthcare system is built upon trust. We won't hesitate to take legal action against health professionals who betray that trust."

Holloway entered a guilty plea for one count of tampering with consumer products. She could potentially serve up to 10 years behind bars, with sentencing scheduled for a future date.

Patients at the Mercy Hospital Intensive Care Unit in Ardmore, Oklahoma, from March 1 to April 22, 2022, who suspect they received a compromised dose of fentanyl or hydromorphone, are encouraged to contact the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations at 214-790-7545.