A nurse working at a county nursing home has been accused of pocketing her patients’ pills.

State police have filed 72 charges against Karen L. Hemby, 46, of Ellwood City, who is accused of stealing prescription medications from her patients while working as a nurse for the Fair Winds Manor Nursing Home at 126 Iron Bridge Road in Sarver.

In an interview Monday, Paul McGuire, chief operations officer, said Hemby was not a full-time employee on the nursing home’s staff.

“She was an agency employee,” McGuire said. “She worked in our building for a couple shifts.”

McGuire did not know the specific agency for which Hemby worked.

According to charging documents, police believe Hemby shorted her patients by as many as 18 doses, and for each one of those pills, she has been charged with felony misrepresentation to acquire a controlled substance and misdemeanors of furnishing false material, theft and possessing a controlled substance.

Police said the proof is in the paperwork because it shows Hemby signed out the medications, but the home’s records did not show they were administered.

“One patient reported on July 2 only receiving one of her two doses that she was supposedly given by Hemby,” said the investigating officer in the affidavit. “Another patient reported July 3 he did not receive his pain medication from Hemby, although it was recorded as signed out by her.”

McGuire said when other staff members saw signs of the possible offense, they started investigating internally, and once they came to their own conclusions, they notified the necessary agencies, which also included the Department of Health and the nursing certification board.

“We take this very seriously,” McGuire said. “Thank God we found it through our procedures.”

McGuire said the staff also immediately checked and examined the patients affected.

“There were a handful of patients who didn’t receive their medications. They were routine pain medications,” he said. “We assessed the patients, and they seem to be OK.”

Police said Hemby stole 10 doses of hydrocodone, seven oxycodone and one alprazolam.

Police said they interviewed Hemby July 10 about the missing drugs reported from May to July.

“Hemby admitted that she had stolen the 18 doses in question,” police said. “She related that she was having pain in her teeth, and that she stole the (drugs) to deal with the pain.”

Hemby has not yet been arrested, and she hasn’t had a preliminary arraignment, which will be before District Judge Sue Haggerty.