A nurse at HCA Florida Woodmont Hospital in Tamarac has been suspended as of last Tuesday by the Florida Department of Health, following allegations of inappropriate behavior toward a patient last October. Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo ordered the emergency suspension for John Vincent Pica after he reportedly groped a 56-year-old female patient under the guise of administering a routine electrocardiogram (EKG), Tamarac Talk reports.
The incident, which took place in the hospital's outpatient surgical unit, involved Pica lifting the patient's gown on multiple occasions without any medical necessity thereby exposing her, an accusation detailed in official health department records, meanwhile, after the event, Pica supposedly assisted the patient in dressing and at that time, again acted inappropriately by cupping and squeezing her breasts, according to the state's suspension order.
The hospital responded to the allegations, expressing a zero-tolerance policy towards any actions that compromise patient safety, as stated in a hospital statement: "We do not tolerate behavior that jeopardizes the well-being and safety of our patients," once claims surfaced, the hospital immediately suspended Pica's duties and restricted his access to hospital premises, as shared in a statement by HCA Florida Woodmont Hospital obtained by NBC Miami.
This marks the first disciplinary move against Pica since his licensure in Florida in 1996—records before this event showed no previous disciplinary actions or public complaints against him despite the severity of the accusations his behavior has now elicited a formal disciplinary proceeding, the outcome of which may result in further action against the nurse's professional status; Pica has the option to challenge the emergency order through a petition as per state regulations.
