E-Paper
California clinic staff fired for mocking patients’ bodily fluids in viral video: 'Sweet gifts like these'
Healthcare workers at a California clinic have been terminated after a viral video showed them mocking bodily fluids left by patients on exam chairs.
A group of healthcare workers in the US has been fired over a viral video showing them mocking what appeared to be bodily fluids on an exam chair. The video, originally posted on TikTok, showed the staff members gathered around a medical chair, appearing to ridicule patients’ bodily fluids left on exam room paper. The clip was filmed inside Pesetas Urgent Care in Santa Barbara, California, a facility operated by Sansum Clinic.
The video included six photos in total. Text over one of the first images read, “Are patients allowed to leave you guys gifts?” The following slides showed staff laughing, pointing, and even posing around the stains. The post’s caption read, “Guess the substance!”
The video went viral over Labor Day weekend before being taken down.
Also Read: Who was Pratik Pandey, Indian-origin Microsoft techie found dead in California office?
Investigation underway
Following the backlash, the clinic issued a statement addressing the incident. "Sutter Health has terminated the employees responsible for the inappropriate and insensitive photos posted on social media," a Sutter Health spokesperson said, per a report by People.
"This unacceptable behavior is an outright violation of our policies, shows a lack of respect for our patients and will not be tolerated," the statement continued. "Protecting the trust of those we serve is our highest priority and when that trust is violated, we take swift action to address it."
Authorities further confirmed that the employees were placed on leave "within 24 hours of becoming aware of the posts," and they were terminated within another 24 hours. The incident remains an ongoing internal investigation.
Both the video and the TikTok account it was posted on have since been deleted. However, the footage continues to circulate online, with many users condemning the behaviour.
Reacting to the video, one user wrote, “Wow! I am speechless. As a nurse I feel second hand embarrassed. This is beyond unprofessional and unethical."
“These people know they don’t have to work in healthcare right??? Makes me so sad that we can’t even trust anyone at the doctors either very scary and sad,” commented another.
“It’s insane to me how many people were involved in this and not ONE thought it was wrong,” wrote a third user.
