In 2015, Ms. Barnard was terminated from Reid Health in Richmond, Ind., after falling asleep at work, then subsequently failing a drug test that came back positive for meth. Six months later, she was arrested while visiting an apartment raided by police in which 34 grams of meth, nine tablets of painkillers, large amounts of cash and drug paraphernalia were confiscated. She reportedly told police she’d purchased meth at the apartment approximately 20 times. Ms. Barnard continued to practice nursing after the arrest. She was formally charged with “visiting a common nuisance” — a misdemeanor.
On Feb. 12, Ms. Barnard was fired from Especially Kidz Health & Rehab in Shelbyville, Ind., for stealing a box of syringes and failing a drug test three days later that indicated the use of meth and other amphetamines.
According to the Star Press, the state nursing board voted unanimously to suspend her license, citing her as an immediate danger to the public. Ms. Barnard told the Star Press she recently signed a recovery monitoring agreement with the Indiana State Nurses Assistance Program and that her attorney is working to divert her criminal case.
“A year ago I lost my grandmother…I walked in and found her on the floor. I was needing an escape and made the wrong choices. I have never done drugs like this in the past. I have been clean and sober now for months. I am a good mom and a good person. I have no criminal history. This is the first time I’ve been in trouble,” said Ms. Barnard.
According to the Star Press, there are an estimated 13,000 nurses struggling with some form of addiction in the state of Indiana.
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