{"id":329650,"date":"2026-07-05T00:53:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-05T00:53:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/329650\/"},"modified":"2026-07-05T00:53:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T00:53:17","slug":"nursing-license-suspended-after-miami-area-rehab-drug-theft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/329650\/","title":{"rendered":"Nursing license suspended after Miami area rehab drug theft"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Jayson Ledford\u2019s suspension, which began June 8, will last until he \u201cpersonally appears before the Board (of Nursing) and can demonstrate the present ability to engage in the safe practice of nursing,\u201d state discipline documents said. \u201cThat demonstration shall include, at least, an in-depth psychological evaluation, coordinated through the Intervention Project for Nurses.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The IPN monitors and supports nurses dealing with mental health and substance abuse issues.<\/p>\n<p>Officially, by the settlement agreement with the Florida Department of Health, Ledford \u201cneither admits nor denies the factual allegations in the administrative complaint\u201d but also \u201cagrees that the agreement is a fair, appropriate, and reasonable resolution of this pending matter.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That resolution, in addition to the suspension, charges Ledford $8,133 in case investigation costs, to be paid in the next eight years.<\/p>\n<p>Ledford\u2019s online Department of Health <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/mqa-internet.doh.state.fl.us\/MQASearchServices\/HealthCareProviders\/LicenseVerification?LicInd=738634&amp;ProCde=1701&amp;org=Ledford,+Jayson\">profile shows a clean discipline record<\/a> on the license he\u2019s held since May 27, 2022.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.miamiherald.com\/news\/health-care\/article316304572.html\">READ MORE: Unwanted kisses and foot massages: Why a Broward nurse is suspended, state says<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Taking a bag<\/p>\n<p>According to the Florida Department of Health\u2019s administrative complaint, Ledford was working at 1st Step Behavioral Health\u2019s Pompano Beach facility on June 14, 2025, when he \u201cremoved a Ziploc bag containing two vials of Toradol from a colleague\u2019s desk.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Toradol is the brand name for Ketorolac, described by the Mayo Clinic as \u201cused 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). <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/drugs-supplements\/ketorolac-oral-route-injection-route\/description\/drg-20066882\">Ketorolac is not a narcotic<\/a> and is not habit-forming. It will not cause physical or mental dependence, as narcotics can.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But this prescription drug is recommended only for five days of use.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.miamiherald.com\/news\/health-care\/article315980367.html\">READ MORE: More women say a South Florida psychiatrist asked them to remove clothes<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Ledford \u201cremoved the two vials of Toradol from the Ziploc bag and placed the vials in his pants pocket,\u201d the complaint said. \u201c[Ledford] stuck his pointer finger to his lips, to make a \u2018shh\u2019 motion, towards his colleague.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[Ledford] reached into the front pocket of his backpack, removed the two vials of Toradol, and handed the Toradol to management,\u201d the complaint said.<\/p>\n<p>                                          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"responsive-image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1st step behavioral health_fitted.jpeg\"   width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" title=\"1st step behavioral health_fitted.jpeg\" alt=\"1st Step Behavioral Health, 3773 N. Federal Hwy., Pompano Beach.\"\/>                                                                                    1st Step Behavioral Health, 3773 N. Federal Hwy., Pompano Beach.                                                                                                                                                                        Broward County Property Appraiser                                                                                        <\/p>\n<p class=\"summary gray\">This story was originally published July 1, 2026 at 3:23 PM.<\/p>\n<p>                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.miamiherald.com\/profile\/218644265\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-thumb\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783212797_2_695 Miami Herald sig 072115 Cropped.jpg\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" alt=\"Profile Image of David J. Neal\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n                    <\/a><\/p>\n<p>                <a class=\"author-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.miamiherald.com\/profile\/218644265\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">David J. Neal<\/a><\/p>\n<p>                    Miami Herald<\/p>\n<p>            Since 1989, David J. Neal\u2019s domain at the Miami Herald has expanded to include writing about Panthers (NHL and FIU), Dolphins, old school animation, food safety, fraud, naughty lawyers, bad doctors and all manner of breaking news. He drinks coladas whole. He does not work Indianapolis 500 Race Day.\n            <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Stealing pain meds in front of a coworker at a drug rehabilitation facility started a Miami-based registered nurse&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":329651,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[123,125,124],"class_list":["post-329650","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-miami","tag-miami","tag-miami-headlines","tag-miami-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/329650","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=329650"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/329650\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/329651"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=329650"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=329650"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=329650"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}