A nurse who worked at Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence, Mo., has been charged with raping a patient who had been given morphine and other narcotics for pain management.
The nurse, identified as 35-year-old Chuckwuemeka Emmanuel, was charged July 19 with first-degree rape, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters said.
The patient told police that on June 16 she had asked her nurse, Mr. Emmanuel, to help clean her because her catheter was leaking. While he was cleaning, he raped her, according to court records.
"Upon learning of this incident, we immediately partnered with local law enforcement on the investigation, and the nurse had no further contact with patients. We began our internal investigation and involved the appropriate regulatory agencies," the hospital stated in a news release to The Kansas City Star.
"What is alleged to have happened to this patient is intolerable. We are focused on the health and well-being of this patient, and are committed to providing her support during this time."
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