Tara Severino, a 58-year-old nurse from West Haven, has been sentenced to two years of probation, which includes six months of home confinement, for diverting narcotics intended for veterans in her care. The sentencing, announced by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on December 22, follows an investigation into Severino’s actions while working at the West Haven VA Medical Center.
Severino was employed as a registered nurse in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where she was responsible for caring for critically ill or dying patients. From January to July 2023, Severino took fentanyl, hydromorphone, and oxycodone prescribed for patients, in some cases consuming the remaining portions of medication after administering a dose to the patients.
In one of the more alarming incidents, Severino repeatedly administered fentanyl to a brain-dead patient, claiming she observed signs of pain and seizures. Over a nine-day period, she gave the patient fentanyl 19 times, diverting some of it for her own use. Other instances saw Severino ingesting narcotics meant for dying veterans, which impacted treatment decisions made by other healthcare staff, who were led to believe the patients had received their prescribed medications but were unresponsive.
Severino’s actions included volunteering to care for a patient not formally assigned to her, during which she took pain medication from the patient before his death.
The DEA has confirmed that Severino’s misconduct was a significant breach of trust, as it affected the proper care of the patients under her supervision. Her sentence reflects the seriousness of diverting controlled substances, especially from vulnerable veterans.
