A nurse who made sexualised and inappropriate remarks and later sent text messages to a young female patient at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin two years ago has been found guilty of professional misconduct, reports Breaking News.
Mark Lester Ordonez, the nurse in question, admitted during a fitness-to-practise inquiry by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) that he had acted improperly towards the 18-year-old patient during her visit on June 21st, 2023, for an endoscopy. He pleaded for leniency, calling it a “stupid mistake” and asked for another chance.
The NMBI inquiry upheld five allegations of misconduct against the Filipino nurse. These included claims relating to text messages Mr Ordonez sent on the same day to what he assumed was the young woman’s phone number—but which was actually her mother’s, reports Breaking News.
Inquiry chairperson Mary Leahy described Mr Ordonez’s behaviour as a significant deviation from the standards required of registered nurses. She said he had “crossed a boundary” by making a number of personal and inappropriate remarks to a vulnerable and anxious patient, then reaching out to her via text without consent.
Ms Leahy added that contacting the patient’s mother—who had made a formal complaint—was also inappropriate, and that his actions breached the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for nurses, reports Breaking News.
In her written testimony, the patient—referred to as Patient A—said she was nervous about her upcoming Leaving Cert exams and it was the first time she was unaccompanied for a medical procedure, having just turned 18. Her mother was waiting elsewhere in the hospital.
Patient A recalled being surprised when the nurse asked her: “Are any boys adding to your stress?” reports Breaking News.
She said she tried to laugh it off but felt very uncomfortable. The nurse then said, “You are too pretty not to have a boyfriend,” followed by, “You remind me of my ex-girlfriend in Germany,” reports Breaking News.
Patient A said at that point, the atmosphere became uncomfortable and silent, making her feel “really uncomfortable.”
The inquiry was told that she fainted prior to the procedure, reports Breaking News.
Following the endoscopy, the patient wanted to leave immediately, and her mother was stunned when told about the incident during the journey home.
Patient A also said she did not want to be responsible for the nurse losing his job.
In her own statement, the mother of Patient A said that at first she tried not to dwell on what happened, although she was uneasy that the nurse appeared too old to be expressing interest in her daughter, reports Breaking News.
Later that evening, while shopping, she received a text—believed to be from Mr Ordonez—that included her daughter’s name.
It read: “Sorry to bother you and can’t help myself to look into your number. If you are not happy or comfortable for me to message you just let me know. I’m so sorry again if that’s the case,” reports Breaking News.
The mother recalled: “I nearly dropped with shock…I felt sick at the realisation that Mr Ordonez was essentially asking [Patient A] out.”
She said a second text followed later that evening, stating: “By the way, what happened to you a while ago is called vasovagal syncope.”
The woman said she was shocked he had messaged again, while her daughter found the situation “a bit creeped out,” reports Breaking News.
The following day, she contacted Beaumont Hospital to raise a formal complaint.
She contacted the hospital once more the next month after receiving another text from Mr Ordonez on July 25th, 2023, which said: “I hope you are happy now. I got terminated,” reports Breaking News.
It was confirmed at the inquiry that Beaumont ended the nurse’s probationary period on that same date, following the complaint about his conduct.
Counsel for the NMBI, Miska Hanahoe BL, said Mr Ordonez’s comments were both inappropriate and sexual in nature. He had also accessed Patient A’s medical information to retrieve her contact details without any medical reason to do so.
The inquiry heard that Mr Ordonez had issued “heartfelt apologies” to both Patient A and her family, and explained that he was still adjusting to life in Ireland at the time, reports Breaking News.
He claimed that “every day is a learning experience” while adapting to Ireland’s laws, culture, and ethical expectations.
He also testified that he is married with a six-year-old son, and had moved to Ireland to improve life for his family.
Back in the Philippines, he said, it was common for nurses to follow up with endoscopy patients after procedures, and that he wasn’t fully aware of how seriously data protection (GDPR) was treated in Ireland—though he had received training, reports Breaking News.
When asked about his remarks to Patient A, Mr Ordonez said he meant them as a joke to ease her stress.
He said he tried to “make things light” by complimenting her appearance but denied any flirtatious or sexual motive.
According to Mr Ordonez, the messages he sent that evening were purely out of concern and meant to be informative, reports Breaking News.
He insisted that if he had intended to ask Patient A out, he would have simply invited her for coffee.
He admitted sending the angry message to Patient A’s mother the next month due to the anger, anxiety, and stress he felt after losing his job at Beaumont, reports Breaking News.
The inquiry was told that Mr Ordonez has been working at St James’s Hospital in Dublin since April 2024. A manager at that hospital submitted a reference describing him as someone with the highest integrity and an excellent professional track record.
At the conclusion of the inquiry, Ms Leahy confirmed that the fitness-to-practise committee would prepare a report for the NMBI board with a proposed disciplinary action, reports Breaking News.
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