Amid Sex Abuse Allegations, Nurse Continues to Find Work in D.C., Maryland

Jared Kline, 37, was employed as a contract nurse at George Washington University Hospital in May 2013, when he was accused of fondling a patient. Within two days, hospital administrators and the San Diego company that placed him there suspended his contract. Kline was also questioned by detectives.

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Fast forward four months, Kline was again working as a nurse, this time at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Within another few months, a second patient complained of a fondling incident, which resulted in his suspension and, once again, dismissal from his latest placement company.

According to MedStar Washington Hospital Center, the D.C. Board of Nursing was notified of the complaint.

According to police, two more women claimed they were fondled by Kline while authorities sought an arrest warrant for him. Kline was still under investigation for the previous incidents at the time.

Disturbingly, the saga continued until the D.C. Board of Nursing suspended Klines license on Sept. 18, at which time a public notice of misconduct was issued. Had the second hiring agency and hospital been made aware of the problems at the time he applied for work, the subsequent incidents may never have occurred.

The Maryland Board of Nursing suspended Klines license after further review the following month, and police finally arrested him Nov. 18.

Why, after several complaints with similar circumstances, was Klines misconduct not made public earlier? After piecing together the evidence, it appeared that Kline took advantage of internal systems that shielded the issues full scope from the public eye, repeatedly.

The hospitals simply failed to notify each other of the allegations quickly enough to prevent Kline from finding work elsewhere. Without an official license revocation or a personnel flag on a national even regional level, Kline had nothing stopping him from using a new placement company to continue his work.

Kline is now facing multiple counts of sexual misconduct, although he claims each allegation was the result of an accident or misunderstanding between himself and the patient. In one report, Kline claimed one womans arm brushed against his thigh as he attempted to insert an IV into her arm; a misunderstanding, he explains.

Prosecutors offered Kline a deal to plead guilty to one count of attempted second-degree sexual abuse and one count of misdemeanor sexual abuse of a patient.

Some in the industry believe that having a national database or registry of medical professionals with such complaints against them could help prevent a situation like this from occurring again. Regardless, Klines story is a serious reminder to families of nursing home patients that any small suspicion about the care of your loved one could have merit; it is critical to check out any and all suspicions to prevent the abuse or neglect of your aging relative.

Contact our firm for a FREE review of your claim. A personal injury lawyer will review the details of your case and help you determine whether your family could be entitled to compensation.

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