The Maine State Board of Nursing suspended the medical license of nurse Matthew Clifford Field after he allegedly sexually harassed one patient and took nude photos of another patient in a trauma ward.
“The continued ability of Mr. Field to practice as a registered professional nurse (“RN”) in the State of Maine constitutes an immediate jeopardy to the health and physical safety of the public who might receive his nursing services,” said the board.
Field worked in the emergency room at the Thayer Center for Health when the alleged sexual harassment occurred.
A patient arrived in Thayer’s emergency room on May 31, suffering from unspecified trauma.
Field reportedly removed blankets from the patient’s hospital bed while the patient was lying naked in the hospital’s trauma ward and photographed her body without her consent using his personal cellphone.
Later in the summer, between August 11 and 12, Field allegedly struck again.
In the second incident, Field was using an ultrasound machine on another patient when he mentioned that an old patient once accidentally touched his crotch and told him that he had “a big dick.”
After the anecdote, he reportedly forced the patient’s hand toward his crotch and made her touch his penis through his pants.
He then reportedly took part of his penis out of his pants and forced the woman to touch it without her consent before showing her an image of his entire penis.
Field called the patient from his personal phone the day after the incident.
MaineGeneral Health fired Field on September 9 after receiving reports that he photographed a nude trauma patient.
Two days later, the hospital reported Field to the Nursing Board. The board then opened an investigation and issued a preliminary suspension on September 26.
The board will impose further disciplinary actions if its investigation proves the accusations true.
Field later signed an agreement with the board accepting an indefinite suspension for the duration of an ongoing criminal investigation into his conduct, while the board will pause its disciplinary action until the investigation concludes.
He faces charges of Unlawful Sexual Conduct, Indecent Conduct, and Violation of Privacy.
Updated to add information on Field’s pending criminal charges and to add information on his agreement with the Board to accept an indefinite suspension.
