Incident 40127

A 30-year-old registered nurse, who stole pain medications from dying patients and diluted stores of hydromorphone supplying the palliative care unit at St. Mary’s of the Lake Hospital, has been sentenced to two years in a women’s prison and probation for three years to follow.

She admitted that for two-and-a-half years she stole the pain medications of her dying patients in the Providence Care Palliative Care Unit at St. Mary’s of the Lake Hospital.

Laura Denouden, who was fired from her job in June 2015, pleaded guilty in Kingston’s Ontario Court of Justice to five crimes arising from her misappropriations: the theft of syringes, saline and vials of hydromorphone, a morphine derivative used in the management of severe and long-term pain; mischief, committed when she tampered with drug vials to cover up the theft of their contents; forgery of patient records; breaking into the palliative care medications room; and illegal possession of hydromorphone.

In April of 2016, she pleaded guilty to stealing hydromorphone, syringes and saline from the palliative care unit; tampering with drug vials to cover up the theft of their contents; forgery of patient records, after she diverted their pain medications to her own use; breaking into the palliative care medications room; and illegal possession of hydromorphone.

Ertel previously told Justice O’Brien, as well, that his client’s Ontario Nurses Association local initiated a grievance over her June 2015 dismissal from St. Mary’s of the Lake, which followed her admissions of misconduct.