Story Created:
Jul 20, 2009 at 1:09 PM AKDT
Story Updated:
Jul 20, 2009 at 1:09 PM AKDT
A nurse is accused of stealing drugs from Juneau's Bartlett Regional Hospital.
According to court documents, 58-year-old Victoria Peppenger lost her out-of-state nursing license in 1995 because of drug addiction.
Assistant District Attorney Jack Schmidt told Judge Keith Levy that Peppenger entered a treatment program that year for an addiction to hydrocodone, a narcotic pain reliever.
An agreement between Peppenger and the Alaska Division of Occupational Licensing in 2001 regarding the matter allowed her to
begin working as a nurse in the state.
Peppenger was arrested Wednesday on charges of drug possession
and theft after a doctor at Bartlett reported suspected drug tampering.
Hospital CEO Shawn Morrow says Peppenger was a recent hire and
had been working at there for less than a month.
