Fondling a patient isn’t the only reason the nursing assistant’s license is restricted
The Florida Department of Health says Pensacola nursing assistant Samuel Hunter can’t work with female patients until further notice. The department slapped an Emergency Restriction Order on Hunter after an incident in October.
According to the Findings of Fact in the ERO, Hunter worked at Rehabilitation Center at Park Place in Pensacola and “often flirted with Patient J.T.”
A co-worker entering J.T.’s room on Oct. 8 saw “Mr. Hunter kissing Patient J.T. with his hand under her shirt touching her breast.”
The co-worker corralled more staff. When they returned to the room, they saw Hunter “scrambling to sit up straight.”
Later, J.T. “informed RCPP staff that she was unsure if Mr. Hunter touched her breast because she did not have the ability to feel his hand on her breast.”
Despite this and Hunter admitting he knew he’d crossed a hard line with this behavior, he was escorted out. He was fired Oct. 11.
Days later, staff found another patient, G.K., a 29-year-old woman, crying in a hallway after hearing of Hunter’s firing.
“Patient G.K. informed RCPP staff that she and Mr. Hunter were dating, were friends on Facebook, and expressed how much she loved Mr. Hunter,” the ERO states.
“Mr. Hunter’s co-worker also informed RCPP staff that after Mr. Hunter was terminated she witnessed Mr. Hunter and Patient G.K. FaceTiming. The co-worker reported that she entered Patient G.K.’s room and observed her exposing and touching her breasts while FaceTiming Mr. Hunter.”
The restriction order dropped Dec. 10 on the license Hunter has held since Nov. 23, 2016.
This story was originally published December 20, 2018 at 4:00 PM.
