A group of urgent care workers in California has lost their jobs after a viral TikTok showed them joking about patients' bodily fluids in exam rooms, reports KTLA. The since-deleted video featured photos taken in medical exam rooms at the Sansum Clinic in Santa Barbara, along with captions like "Are patients allowed to leave you guys gifts?" and "Guess the substance!" Staff were shown laughing, pointing, and posing around various marks on exam tables. The footage concluded with a group shot and the text, "Make sure to leave your healthcare workers sweet gifts like these."
"This unacceptable behavior is an outright violation of our policies, shows a lack of respect for our patients and will not be tolerated," said a statement from clinic owner Sutter Health, per the Los Angeles Times. The company said the "disrespectful" video was posted over the weekend by a former employee who left a few months ago. The company said all employees involved in the video had been fired, without specifying a number. The Santa Barbara Independent has screenshots.
Although the original TikTok was deleted, copies quickly spread across platforms like Reddit, Instagram, and X, sparking widespread criticism. Social media users labeled the behavior "dehumanizing," "unprofessional," and "unethical." It's possible the fallout may not end with social media criticism. KTLA notes that patients who feel their privacy may have been violated can file a complaint with the US Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights via this website.
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