A Winston-Salem woman pleaded guilty to attempting to tamper with consumer products. According to court filed documents, Emilee Kathryn Poteat, 32, removed and opened packages containing vials of injectable Hydromorphone from Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center (NHFMC) while employed as a contact nurse in the Clinical Pre/Post Procedure Unit. From July, 2020 to November, 2020, Poteat removed vials for the purpose of converting and consuming the Hydromorphone by injecting the drug into herself. Poteat then replaced the used vials with tampered vials containing a saline solution. Poteat knew that, in doing so, nurses at NHFMC might unknowingly administer the contents of compromised vials to patients. Virginia Department of Health Investigator Laura Pezzulo began an investigation into Poteat’s handling of the drugs after NHFMC provided vials they suspected had been tampered with by Poteat. Poteat later admitted to tampering with the injectable Hydromorphone in an interview with Investigator Pezzulo.
