Minn. Nurse Accused In Drug Theft Called 'Scapegoat'
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- An attorney for a Minnesota nurse accused of stealing painkillers from a patient before surgery says his client is being made a "scapegoat" by the hospital.
Sarah May Casareto of Forest Lake is charged with theft of a controlled substance. She's accused of taking some of the painkiller intended for a patient before kidney stone surgery at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis last November.
The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that Casareto's attorney, Max Keller, issued a statement saying an alleged comment by the nurse -- telling her patient he needed to "man up" -- was taken out of context.
Because of patient confidentiality, hospital officials say they cannot discuss specifics. But a spokesman for Allina Hospitals and Clinics, owner of Abbott Northwestern, notes that Casareto's employment at the hospital ended as a result of her refusal to take a drug screen.
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