Baltimore, MD — A Maryland nurse who was supposed to give morphine to a 10-year-old girl recovering from open-heart surgery instead self-administered doses of the powerful pain medication, leaving the child in “severe pain,” according to prosecutors.
Kaitlyn Elizabeth Chalmers, 27, pleaded guilty to obtaining morphine by fraud after the incident at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. A judge sentenced her to one year behind bars, with all but 30 days suspended, followed by two years of probation, according to the Maryland Attorney General’s Office.
The case centered on Chalmers’ treatment of the young patient in the hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit on June 25, 2025.
Child remained in severe pain
Chalmers was caring for the girl after her open-heart surgery and was expected to administer morphine through an IV at approximately 8:30 a.m.
But less than an hour later, the child was still complaining of “severe pain.”
Another nurse asked Chalmers whether she had given the girl the prescribed morphine. Chalmers reportedly said that she had.
She also claimed she administered another dose at approximately 11:30 a.m., although that dose was not documented, according to prosecutors.
Hospital staff became suspicious because the girl continued experiencing significant pain despite the medication reportedly being administered.
The situation was particularly unusual because morphine had worked well for the child the previous day, according to the case information.
Nurse removed from floor after staff noticed signs
Concerns about Chalmers escalated when hospital staff reportedly saw her coming out of a bathroom with bruising and bleeding on her arm consistent with intravenous drug use, prosecutors said.
Staff also observed signs that she appeared impaired.
Her supervisors removed her from the hospital floor and requested that she undergo a drug test. Chalmers refused to take the test and was subsequently fired.
The circumstances surrounding the missing morphine ultimately led to the criminal case against her.
Judge orders jail time and probation
Chalmers pleaded guilty in June 2026 and was sentenced on September 9.
Under the sentence, she will serve 30 days in jail, while the remainder of the one-year sentence was suspended. She will also remain on two years of probation.
Her probation includes restrictions directly related to the conduct involved in the case.
Chalmers is barred from caring for children during probation and is prohibited from participating in state and federal healthcare programs, according to authorities.
Despite the criminal conviction, records indicated that she remained a registered nurse. The available license information did not mention the conviction at the time of the report.
Maryland nurse remains in custody
Chalmers was listed as an inmate at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women, according to records.
The case highlights the serious consequences that can follow when medication intended for a vulnerable patient is diverted. In this case, the patient was a young child recovering from major heart surgery and relying on medical staff for pain management and care.
The criminal proceedings have now resulted in a guilty plea, jail sentence and restrictions on Chalmers’ future work involving children and government healthcare programs.
What do you think about the nurse’s sentence in this case? Share your thoughts in the comments.
