(Spencer)– A former contract nurse who worked at Spencer Hospital has pleaded guilty in connection to a 2022 drug overdose case involving two patients.
Court records show 37-year-old Rachel Martinez of Peterson entered a guilty plea on Aug. 28 to two amended counts of wanton neglect of a dependent adult by a caregiver. Martinez had originally faced six charges, including prescription drug violations and additional counts of neglect.
The charges stem from an incident in November 2022, when Martinez was employed through Aya Healthcare, a staffing agency that places travel nurses. She was assigned to Spencer Hospital for a four-week period.
Investigators say Martinez administered medication to patients that had not been prescribed—allegedly to make them fall asleep after they repeatedly used the call light. She was also accused of taking prescription drugs under patients’ names for personal use.
Spencer Hospital officials say their internal monitoring system flagged concerns, prompting swift action and the end of Martinez’s assignment. The Iowa Board of Nursing and the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit launched investigations shortly after.
Spencer Hospital President Brienda Tiefenthaler issued a statement during the hospital’s investigation, emphasizing the facility’s commitment to patient safety, noting that any identified variances are addressed immediately to prevent adverse outcomes.
Martinez’s plea agreement was initially reached in March of this year.
