THOMAS B. SHIELDSArrested in Franklin

Police in Franklin arrested a man Saturday in connection with offenses allegedly committed while he was a nurse practitioner.

Thomas Bernard Shields, 40, 508 Willow Lane, Franklin, was arrested about 11:30 a.m. Saturday at his residence and charged with four counts of first-degree sexual abuse, four counts of third-degree sexual abuse, three counts of sodomy, three counts of harassment and practicing massage without a license.

According to the Franklin Police Department, Shields was employed as a nurse practitioner at Shields Family Clinic at 1030 Brookhaven Road in Franklin.

Franklin police Chief Todd Holder said the alleged offenses occurred during the course of routine examinations between January and August.

Holder said many of the allegations centered on unnecessary examinations Shields conducted with patients.

“For instance, a female going in for strep throat might end up getting a pelvic exam,” Holder said.

According to Holder, a former employee alerted police to the alleged offenses and patients began emerging with their accounts as the FPD began its investigation.

Shields also allegedly failed to follow guidelines under which nurse practitioners are required to operate in regard to exams. Holder said pelvic exams were allegedly conducted by Shields without the presence of another physician or other medical professional to witness.

Holder said there have been at least five victims and police are waiting to see if additional victims come forward.

“He just kind of broke down that bond between patient and nurse practitioner and it just hurts the whole medical profession,” Holder said.

The website for Shields Family Clinic describes Shields as a board certified family nurse practitioner with years of experience in family practice and emergency practice and lists him as a member of the Board of Directors for the American College of Nurse Practitioners.

According to the website, Shields was the co-owner of Shell Rock Family Health in Iowa prior to moving to Kentucky and worked for practices such as the John Deere Medical Group.

According to HealthGrades.com, a website where users can rate medical professionals and find cost information for thousands of hospitals and nursing homes as well as physician profiles, Shields Family Clinic was established in 2009.

That site shows that Shields graduated from Allen College in Waterloo, Iowa, in 2002, and graduated from the college’s nurse practitioner program in 2004.

He had no history of sanctions or other disciplinary measures in the past five years for any professional misconduct, according to the website.

Shields remains in Simpson County Detention Center, where a spokeswoman said he was lodged under two $400,000 bonds and is scheduled to appear Thursday in Simpson District Court.