Nurse's license suspended following drug allegations


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GOLDENDALE — State regulators have suspended the license of Goldendale registered nurse Karen Loucks based on allegations that she tampered with and possibly diverted narcotics at the Klickitat Valley Hospital.

Loucks cannot work as a registered nurse in the state until the charges are resolved.

The state Department of Health’s Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission said in charges announced Thursday that Loucks removed narcotics from syringes, allegedly replaced them with saline and put the syringes back into inventory for patient use. The agency worked with the federal Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Agency on the investigation.

Loucks is also charged with multiple incidents of either diversion of narcotic tablets or failure to document administration and proper disposal of the drugs.

Loucks, who could not be reached for comment, has 20 days to respond.



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