Nurse investigated for exposed patient photo fired by Lee Health

FORT MYERS, Fla. A nurse under investigation for taking a picture of an exposed patient at Lee Memorial Hospital was fired – but not for taking the picture.

“We were unable to determine who was responsible for taking the photograph, and who sent the photograph to the patient through Facebook Messenger,” Lee Health spokeswoman Mary Briggs said in a statement. “However, during the course of the investigation, the accused nurse failed to fully cooperate in providing information and evidence supporting that she was not involved.”

Dylan Meracle was admitted to Lee Memorial in July 2016 following a motorcycle wreck where he lost his left arm and broke both legs. After being discharged, a stranger sent him a photo of him fully exposed while in the ICU – where he spent three weeks in an induced coma.

The stranger received the photo from a friend who is a nurse at Lee Memorial, Meracle said in an October 2016 interview.

Lee Health did not name the accused nurse.

“Neither Lee Health’s action as a result of the investigation nor the fact that the nurse is no longer with Lee Health reflect any determination that the accused nurse was the person responsible for the photograph,” Briggs said.