Nurse accused on multiple charges of sexually assaulting patients at Duke University Hospital
A nurse from Duke University Hospital was arrested Thursday on multiple charges of sexually assaulting patients.
Jomil Uy Tugado, 39, of Durham, faces charges that include sexual assault, sexual acts by a government or private agency employee, and sexual contact or penetration under the guise of medical treatment. ABC11.
University police allege he attacked two female patients while they were motionless, one incident in May and the other earlier this month.
Tugado’s nursing license was suspended Thursday, state records show. He appeared at his first hearing on Friday morning.
A Durham County Judge ordered Tugado held without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for January.
Duke Health confirmed that Tugado was removed from patient care and placed on administrative leave on December 7. Tugado starts in July 2023, Duke Health said.
Jomil Uy Tugado, 39, of Durham, was arrested on Dec. 18, 2025, for a sex crime.
Duke Health officials said in a statement: “At Duke Health, our top priority is to provide a safe environment for all patients to receive care. We have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual abuse and take all allegations of inappropriate behavior seriously… We are fully cooperating with law enforcement officials in their ongoing investigations and are committed to supporting those affected. If patients have witnessed or experienced inappropriate behavior at Duke Health, we ask them to call our helpline at 919-385-3575.”
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This comes after a former nurse at UNC Rex Hospital was accused of sexually assaulting three patients.
The North Carolina Nurses Association released the following statement in response to these events:
“These allegations are beyond appalling and our main concern is for the victims. We hope they get the support they need. Patients should be able to trust every member of the care team at all times, which is especially important at times when they are most vulnerable. Such incidents are extremely rare and we hope most people realize this is not representative of the rest of the profession. The vast majority of nurses spend their careers building trust through the care they provide and to see anyone abused is infuriating for all members of the profession.
NCNA is grateful that North Carolina has a strong Board of Nursing (NCBON) who took swift action to suspend the licenses of both individuals while investigations continued. “We support a zero-tolerance policy for such allegations from both employers and NCBON.”
