Abortion Nurse Who Molested Patients Ordered to Stop Practicing

State   |   Steven Ertelt, Troy Newman   |   Nov 8, 2012   |   3:50PM   |   Salem, OR

The Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN) has issued an order banning abortion nurse Evett Gradwohl from “practicing as a Registered Nurse in any capacity or functioning as a caregiver in any setting” until further order from the Board.

Operation Rescue filed a formal complaint against Gradwohl with the Board of Nursing after a lawsuit surfaced that alleged misconduct during her employment at the Lovejoy Surgicenter in Portland, Oregon. Gradwohl is no longer employed at the abortion clinic.

The suit, filed by a former clinic worker, alleged that Gradwohl sexually molested abortion patients while they were under anesthesia and drew the figure of a bird on one sleeping woman. Gradwohl was also accused of exposing herself to other employees and engaging in other harassing behavior. In addition, she told other employees to lie to state inspectors about the fact than an unlicensed and unqualified worker was overseeing abortion surgeries.

“We asked the Board to act to protect women from further abuse by Gradwohl at Lovejoy Surgicenter and are very happy that they took speedy action to do just that. Sexual abuse and rape occur at abortion clinics on an all-too-frequent basis. It is the industry’s dirty little secret,” said Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Policy Advisor for Operation Rescue. “We hope that the District Attorney will now take a hard look at this case and criminally charge Gradwohl for sex crimes. Her prosecution would serve as a means to warn women of the dangers they face when they walk into abortion clinics around the nation.”

The former surgical technician at an abortion clinic in Portland, Oregon, Kimberly Binnington, worked at Lovejoy Surgicenter for less than six months before quitting. She alleges that she witnessed the operating room supervisor, Evie Gradwohl, fondle unconscious patients, and even draw a bird on one. She’s also accusing Gradwohl of exposing her breasts to clinic staff as well as other lewd and lascivious conduct.

Binnington alleges that she saw Gradwohl fondle the breasts of an unconscious patient and inappropriately touch others, and that she also observed Gradwohl making demeaning comments about patients’ clothing, hygiene and bodies. The suit also says that Gradwohl drew a bird on another patient and then bragged about it on Facebook in February.

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Binnington, who is married, alleges that Gradwohl also tried to pressure her into having sex with a male friend of Gradwohl’s named “Charlie” and encouraged her to build an online dating profile. The suit also alleges that Gradwhol exposed her augmented breasts to Binnington and tried to have Binnington touch them.

The suit alleges another supervisor failed to do act on her concerns. Instead, Binnington says that Gradwohl grew increasingly hostile, including throwing a hanger at her.