Miami nurse caught swiping drugs at a rehab facility. There were consequences

Stealing pain meds in front of a coworker at a drug rehabilitation facility started a Miami-based registered nurse on the path to license suspension.

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Jayson Ledford’s suspension, which began June 8, will last until he “personally appears before the Board (of Nursing) and can demonstrate the present ability to engage in the safe practice of nursing,” state discipline documents said. “That demonstration shall include, at least, an in-depth psychological evaluation, coordinated through the Intervention Project for Nurses.”

The IPN monitors and supports nurses dealing with mental health and substance abuse issues.

Officially, by the settlement agreement with the Florida Department of Health, Ledford “neither admits nor denies the factual allegations in the administrative complaint” but also “agrees that the agreement is a fair, appropriate, and reasonable resolution of this pending matter.”

That resolution, in addition to the suspension, charges Ledford $8,133 in case investigation costs, to be paid in the next eight years.

Ledford’s online Department of Health profile shows a clean discipline record on the license he’s held since May 27, 2022.

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Taking a bag

According to the Florida Department of Health’s administrative complaint, Ledford was working at 1st Step Behavioral Health’s Pompano Beach facility on June 14, 2025, when he “removed a Ziploc bag containing two vials of Toradol from a colleague’s desk.”

Toradol is the brand name for Ketorolac, described by the Mayo Clinic as “used to relieve moderately severe pain, usually pain that occurs after an operation or other painful procedure. It belongs to the group of medicines called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Ketorolac is not a narcotic and is not habit-forming. It will not cause physical or mental dependence, as narcotics can.”

But this prescription drug is recommended only for five days of use.

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Ledford “removed the two vials of Toradol from the Ziploc bag and placed the vials in his pants pocket,” the complaint said. “[Ledford] stuck his pointer finger to his lips, to make a ‘shh’ motion, towards his colleague.”

The complaint said Ledford moved the vials from his pocket to his backpack, which is where they were when 1st Step management asked Ledford for the vials.

“[Ledford] reached into the front pocket of his backpack, removed the two vials of Toradol, and handed the Toradol to management,” the complaint said.

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