DAVID M. ANDERSON, CNA, CRNA, had previously been accused of stealing drugs from other hospitals.

A CRNA in Iowa faces up to 10 years in prison for diverting fentanyl from a hospital for his own use, according to court documents.

David Michael Anderson, 51, is accused of having repeatedly signed out extra doses of fentanyl at the Manning (Iowa) Regional Healthcare Center, between December and March, and having falsely claimed it was for patient care. The hospital fired him when it became aware of the allegations.

He has pleaded not guilty.

This apparently is not the first time Mr. Anderson has been accused of stealing opioids. Mr. Anderson's nursing license was put on probation in 2009 after he allegedly stole painkillers from other hospitals where he worked from 2005 to 2008, according to KCCI-TV in Des Moines, Iowa.

Attempts to reach Mr. Anderson were unsuccessful. Manning Regional Healthcare Center did not return a call from Outpatient Surgery Magazine.

Jim Burger