SAXONBURG — A former nurse at the Saxony Health Center has been charged with forging medical records and stealing narcotic painkillers intended for patients.

Cassie Jo Woods, 27, of Jefferson Township admitted taking the pills to cope with issues in her life and to being occasionally high at work, said Saxonburg Police Chief Joe Beachem.

Police this week charged Woods by summons with a list of misdemeanor charges for theft by unlawful taking, forgery, tampering with records or identification, theft by deception and possession of a controlled substance.

A preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 10 at the office of District Judge Sue Haggerty in Saxonburg.

Woods, a licensed practical nurse, worked for about two years at Saxony Health Center, said Kathy Otto, facility administrator.

Woods resigned on Nov. 14, Otto said, when health center officials notified police that they suspected her of diverting medication she documented as having been given to patients,

Specifically, according to court documents, she is accused of signing out several oxycodone pills on Nov. 13 that were intended for four patients.

To cover up the crime, Beachem said, Woods changed the dates and times on medication logs. She also allegedly forged another nurse's signature on a patient's medical chart.

Woods later voluntarily agreed to be interviewed at the police station. During the 30-minute interview, Beachem said, she acknowledged wrongdoing.

She admitted “taking and ingesting the pills in order to cope with past life events,” he said. But she would not elaborate about those issues.

She also confessed to forging the other nurse's signature on two or three occasions, documents said, because it was “easier to forge” than other signatures.

Additionally, Woods said she had taken pills on other days, not only Nov. 13.

Beachem described the defendant as “very forthcoming” and “very apologetic” at the interview. He said she also appeared embarrassed by what she did.

Woods' actions, Otto said, did not affect patients' health.

“No one was harmed by it,” she said, “and we replaced all the medications for those patients. They all received their medications.”

Beachem noted the department's investigation is ongoing.

“We're also forwarding our reports onto the appropriate health monitoring agencies responsible for oversight of (nurses),” he said.

Woods' practical nursing license was issued Feb. 6, 2014, and it remains active, according to online records from the Pennsylvania Department of State.

Online court records don't list an attorney for Woods and the Butler Eagle could not reach her for comment.