Patient Files Class Action Against Virginia Mason Over Nurse Stealing Pain Meds, Infection
A Seattle patient has filed a class-action lawsuit against Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, alleging that she and hundreds of others endured severe pain and the threat of infectious disease after a nurse allegedly stole prescribed narcotic pain medications intended for post-surgical recovery.
The complaint details how Danielle Salazar, who underwent a major procedure at the hospital, was left in “completely debilitating” pain and later notified by the hospital that she may have been exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV, prompting recommended testing and significant emotional distress
Danielle Salazar, a Washington resident, underwent a hysterectomy at Virginia Mason Medical Center in late November 2024. During her recovery, Salazar was prescribed intravenous narcotic pain medications to manage her post-operative pain. However, according to the complaint, she experienced “completely debilitating” pain, far worse than any previous surgical recovery, and repeatedly reported this to hospital staff.
According to the lawsuit, in December 2024, Salazar received a letter from Virginia Mason’s interim chief nursing officer stating: “Virginia Mason Medical Center regrets to inform you that it identified possible drug diversion (the stealing of narcotic pain medication intended for patients) by a former employee who was working in the recovery unit (post-anesthesia care unit) between November 17, 2023 and July 29, 2024. … Because some forms of drug diversion have been associated with infection risk…we recommend you get tested for the following: hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).”
Impact on Patients and Families
Salazar’s lawsuit alleges that she, and potentially about 500 other patients who received similar notifications, were deprived of prescribed pain medications due to the alleged theft by a staff member. The complaint details the physical pain, suffering, and emotional distress experienced by Salazar and others as a result of not receiving appropriate pain management.
Beyond the immediate pain, patients were left to grapple with the fear of potential exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Salazar’s spouse, Marcelino Salazar, is also named as a plaintiff, representing intimate partners who faced the risk of secondary infection and endured significant emotional distress upon learning of their potential exposure.
The lawsuit accuses Virginia Mason Franciscan Health of:
- Negligence in hiring, training, and supervising staff, particularly regarding the dangers of drug diversion.
- Failing to implement and enforce adequate safeguards, such as robust protocols for background checks, drug testing, needle handling, medication inventory, and incident reporting.
- Not promptly detecting or preventing the diversion, which allegedly continued for more than eight months.
The suit seeks to represent both affected patients and their intimate partners, excluding anyone who actually contracted the infections during the relevant period, and demands compensation for pain, suffering, emotional distress, and the costs of ongoing medical testing.
As of this writing, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health has not publicly commented on the lawsuit. Though the case is in its early stages, it is already prompting renewed scrutiny of hospital policies and procedures around controlled substances and patient safety.
Nurses and healthcare professionals nationwide will be watching closely as this case unfolds, hopeful it will drive meaningful improvements in both institutional safeguards and patient care.
