A nurse at Duke University Hospital was arrested Thursday on multiple charges of sexually assaulting patients.
Jomil Uy Tugado, 39, of Durham, faces charges including sexual battery, sexual conduct by a government or private employee and sexual contact or penetration under the guise of medical treatment, according to documents obtained by ABC11.
University police said he assaulted two female patients while they were incapacitated, one in May and another earlier this month.
Tugado’s nursing license was revoked Thursday, according to state records. He made his first court appearance 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 on Dec. 7 and placed on administrative leave. Duke Health said Tugado will be employed starting in July 2023.
Jomil Uy Tugado, 39, of Durham, was arrested on December 18, 2025, for sex crimes.
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 misconduct and take all allegations of misconduct seriously… We are fully cooperating with law enforcement in ongoing investigations and remain committed to supporting those impacted. If patients have witnessed or experienced inappropriate behavior at Duke Health, we ask that they call our hotline at 919-385-3575.”
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Previously, a former nurse at the University of North Carolina Rex Hospital was accused of sexually assaulting three patients.
The North Carolina Nurses Association issued the following statement regarding these incidents:
“These allegations are shocking and our biggest concerns are for the victims. We hope they get the support they need. Patients should always be able to trust every member of their care team; this is especially important when they are at their most vulnerable. Incidents of this type are extremely rare and we hope most people realize they are not representative of the rest of the profession. The vast majority of nurses build trust throughout their careers through the care they provide and it is outrageous across the profession to see anyone abusing this trust.”
NCNA is grateful that North Carolina has a strong Board of Nursing (NCBON) that acted quickly to suspend the licenses of these two individuals while the investigation was ongoing. We support a zero-tolerance policy against such allegations by employers and NCBON. “