A local nurse is charged with writing her own prescriptions for medications, which she filled numerous times since last year.
Heather Lynn Brown, formerly a nurse at Heart of Lancaster Regional Medical Center, was charged Wednesday with three felonies regarding prescription fills at various CVS stores.
Brown, 42, of Stevens, was arraigned Thursday by District Judge Ed Tobin and released on $10,000 bail.
Brown was a registered nurse at Heart of Lancaster’s Infusion and Oncology Care Center, in Warwick Township, when she wrote the prescriptions and had them filled, between August 2015 and January 2016.
She listed the “prescriber” as a doctor from the Oncology Center. The doctor told investigators he never wrote prescriptions for Brown nor had prior knowledge of her doing so.
The prescriptions were for a variety of medications, including sleep aids and an appetite suppressant.
Upon learning of the allegations, Heart of Lancaster placed Brown on administrative suspension. She resigned two days later. She had been a nurse since 1994 and worked in Heart of Lancaster’s oncology unit for about a year.
In a police interview, she admitted to the conduct, telling Northern Lancaster County Regional police Detective Theresa Stauffer, “That was it. Was it wrong? Yeah.”
Brown is charged with insurance fraud and two drug violations, all felonies.
She is presumed innocent.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright
