Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 23, 1995                   TAG: 9506260031
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LAURENCE HAMMACK
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

EMPLOYEE LOSES JOB AFTER TRIAL

Hubert Wayne Thompson was convicted Tuesday of sexual battery, a misdemeanor.

Lucas Snipes, senior vice president of Carilion Health Systems, would not say whether Thompson resigned or was fired, but said he ``is no longer with us'' as the result of Tuesday's trial.

At a hearing in Roanoke Circuit Court, a 31-year-old women testified that she went to Roanoke Memorial in October for back surgery. After becoming groggy from the effects of morphine, she testified, she awoke to find Thompson rubbing talcum powder on her vagina, breathing heavily and asking if he could do anything else for her.

Thompson, 31, denied that he fondled the woman. But he testified that some of the other actions about which she complained - that he changed her gown, assisted her with a bedpan and rubbed lotion on her thighs when they were alone in the hospital room - were just part of his job.

Defense attorney Richard Lawrence expressed concern that convicting Thompson could ``jeopardize the future care of patients'' because male nurses may hesitate to treat female patients.

The hospital has a policy of asking patients if they are comfortable being cared for by a nurse of the opposite sex. However, the woman who testified said Thompson made no such inquiry.

Snipes said there has been no change in the hospital's policy as a result of the charges against Thompson. ``I don't know any other way of doing it, other than asking the patient's permission,'' he said.

Thompson faces a maximum punishment of 12 months in jail. He was allowed to remain free on bond this week pending a sentencing hearing in August.