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Addicted Nurses: A Problem in Need of Better Solutions

The problem of addiction is certainly not a new one.

But it’s of more concern when those who are addicted are entrusted with caring for us when we’re sick or injured.  The News Leader in Staunton looked into this problem state-wide, and found that in Virginia, many patients have been denied pain medication because a nurse was stealing it, many employers are lax or don’t have the resources to police the problem, and two-thirds of nurses sent into the state health care worker rehab monitoring program don’t complete it.  And often, they manage to continue working in health care.  As part of WMRA's news partnership with the News Leader, Bob Leweke spoke with Patricia Borns, the investigative reporter who wrote the series.

The entire series is called "Investigation: Addicted Nurses" (click the link to check it out)

Patricia Borns is a staff reporter for The News Leader covering health and community services in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley​.  ​Previously she covered healthcare​ for the Miami Herald​ on a Kaiser Family Foundation grant. She has also produced independent video reporting on Haiti's market economy and border relations with the Dominican Republic.

Bob Leweke is WMRA's News Director and Morning Edition host.