A group of healthcare workers in California has been terminated after sharing a TikTok video that many deemed “dehumanizing.” The footage featured patients laughing in an emergency care testing room.
In a disturbing clip, a former worker at Santa Barbara’s Sansum Clinic can be seen posing next to bodily fluids left on a paper covering the exam table, along with a caption that says, “Suppose the substance.” KTLA reported this on Wednesday.
The TikTok post asked, “Are patients allowed to leave your gifts?” while displaying a picture of a beaming medical staff member.
In another part of the video, a female worker appears with a thumbs-up and a big smile, standing over small stains, with text overlay reading “Yes!”
Another video snippet shows a worker bent over a larger stain, accompanied by the phrase “All shapes and sizes.”
The last image promotes, “Leave a sweet gift from a healthcare worker like this!”
Sutter Health, a significant nonprofit healthcare network in Northern California that collaborates with Sansum Clinic, issued a statement expressing their serious concern regarding the employees’ behavior.
A spokesperson for Sutter Health said they are “deeply concerned” about the unpleasant social media posts made by former employees and are conducting a full review in accordance with their policy.
It was reported that those who filmed and anyone who appeared in the TikTok video were dismissed on Wednesday. One of the former employees had not been affiliated with the clinic for two months prior to the incident.
Sansum Clinic published a statement on Instagram acknowledging the public’s concerns surrounding the video.
They emphasized that maintaining patient trust and dignity is their top priority, and any behavior that compromises these values is unacceptable.
This video initially came from TikTok user @Angieuncut, but it has since been taken down. Even after its removal, screen recordings circulated on various social media platforms, generating swift backlash.
Much of the anger has been voiced on a subreddit for Santa Barbara users, where the video was shared, amassing over 1,000 comments since its posting on Monday.
One commenter, identifying as a nurse, criticized the video, labeling it as unprofessional and unethical. Another engaged user mentioned their efforts to report the incident directly to Sutter executives, expressing their outrage over the dehumanizing content.
