When persistence turns to harassment: Doctor suspended for repeatedly making unwanted advances on nurse

A Nova Scotia doctor found guilty of sexually harassing a nurse over a six-month period has been suspended for two months and ordered to pay $5,000 in college costs. Dr. Jose Ramirez-Morejon, who was working during this time as a clinical assistant in a hospital, admitted to investigators at the College of Physician and Surgeons of Nova Scotia that he engaged in a pattern of conduct that included making comments about the nurse’s appearance, repeated invitations to go out on a date, declarations of love and affection and offers of gifts and favours. “These actions persisted after the complainant expressed clearly to Dr. Ramirez that his invitations were ‘unprofessional, unwanted and inappropriate,’” the college’s hearing committee wrote in its decision document. The nurse who was subjected to these unwanted advances—which took place in 2020—had recently been licensed to practice at the time and is younger than Dr. Ramirez-Morejon, according to the document. Read: Principles to address gender harassment, sexual coercion and violence in medicine She made no allegations of threatened or attempted sexual contact or sexual touching. Nonetheless, while the committee agreed that this made the nature of the sexual misconduct less serious than a sexual assault, it did not mitigate the sexual harassment that did occur. “It is an aggravating factor that in targeting the complainant, Dr. Ramirez-Morejon took advantage of existing power dynamics within the workplace and between himself and the complainant,” wrote the hearing committee. “These included a significant age difference, the relative youth of the complainant and the fact that she was a newly licensed nurse, as well as the power dynamics present between a physician and nurse in a hospital environment. “This factor makes the sexual harassment more serious, within the category of sexual harassment of a colleague.” The nurse said she initially complained to a hospital manager about Dr. Ramirez-Morejon’s behaviour but did not get any help at the time from her employer. Read: Hospital worker sues anesthesiologist for sexually harassing her for two years After the nurse complained to the college, the hospital put Dr. Ramirez-Morejon on a seven-week paid administrative suspension for seven weeks while the complaint was investigated. It subsequently imposed a three-day suspension of pay, mandated respectful workplace training and reassignment away from the nurse’s unit. “The committee would also like to recognize the physician’s comments that his employer should have taken more proactive steps to respond to the complainant’s concerns, and had it done so the situation may have been resolved sooner, with less harm done to the complainant,” wrote the committee. “While the committee feels that it is important to emphasize the responsibility of a hospital in protecting its nursing staff from sexual harassment, this does not mitigate Dr. Ramirez-Morejon’s own responsibility for his actions.” Read: Dr. Brian Thicke, father of late actor, pleads no contest to misconduct charges

When persistence turns to harassment: Doctor suspended for repeatedly making unwanted advances on nurse

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