Maryland nurse sentenced for stealing morphine from pediatric patient

Kaitlyn Elizabeth Chalmers, a registered nurse, has been sentenced following her conviction for obtaining morphine by fraud. The incident occurred on June 25, 2025, at the University of Maryland Medical Center’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Baltimore.

Prosecutors stated that Chalmers diverted morphine intended for a 10-year-old patient recovering from open heart surgery. While she documented administering morphine at 8:30 a.m., she allegedly claimed to have given a second dose later that morning without recording it in the patient’s medical files. The child subsequently reported extreme pain to hospital staff. During the same shift, a colleague observed Chalmers with bruising and bleeding on her arm consistent with intravenous drug use, and other staff reported signs of impairment.

Chalmers, who refused a requested drug screening and was subsequently terminated, pleaded guilty to the charge on June 20, 2026. Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Alan C. Lazarow sentenced her to one year of incarceration, with all but 30 days suspended, followed by two years of supervised probation. As part of her sentence, she is prohibited from caring for children during her probation period.