Employees of Sansum Clinic in Santa Barbara have gone viral for posts made to social media that appear to be mocking patients.
Numerous edhat readers sent in posts on Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit that show healthcare workers posing in front of what appears to be bodily fluids left behind in an exam room.
Online commenters stated they were able to trace the social media account and its public postings to an employee of Sansum Clinic who worked at the Urgent Care facility at 215 Pesetas Lane in Santa Barbara. Sansum Clinic is now overseen by Sutter Health and this facility is now known as “Sutter Health Pesetas Urgent Care.”
The accounts have since been deleted and the posts removed, but not before local residents were able to take screenshots and share them with edhat, as well as repost them online. The TikTok video has been reposted here.
@kelsey.bartley Oops! Did you try to delete this? @angieuncut #sansum #meangirls ♬ Blue Danube Waltz – London Symphony Orchestra
A Santa Barbara Reddit page that discusses the same topic has also shared screenshots from the employee’s account before they were removed as well.
Some of the posts referenced “gifts” that patients leave healthcare workers in what appears to be bodily fluids left behind on a paper sheet covering a bed in an exam room. The workers pose and point around the fluids with the caption “make sure to leave your healthcare workers sweet gifts like these.”
Online commenters found at least six photos posted publicly that reference the same topic with additional comments added such as “guess the substance” and an #FYP hashtag that stands for “For Your Page” and is meant to increase visibility with TikTok’s algorithm.
Since the posts went viral over Labor Day weekend, many local residents have called for the employees who took part in the photos to be reprimanded or fired.
“Nurse to nurse.. you should be ashamed of yourself. For the way you embarrassed your patients, yourself, your employer, your coworkers, your family and the entire nursing community. Respectfully, find a new career,” one person posted.
Another commenter stated, “this violates patient privacy and might be illegal. Sansum needs to respond to this and ensure the community feels safe in their facilities.”
The backlash has grown in a few days with online commenters leaving negative reviews on Google and Yelp for Sansum Clinic locations.
Edhat reached out to representatives of Sansum Clinic on September 1st and received a response from a representative of Sutter Health stating they have opened an investigation the employee responsible for posting the video was a former employee. Sutter Health has since updated their statement to include that the employees responsible have been terminated.
Below is the full updated statement from Sutter Health:
“Sutter Health has terminated the employees responsible for the inappropriate and insensitive photos posted on social media. This unacceptable behavior is an outright violation of our policies, shows a lack of respect for our patients and will not be tolerated.
Protecting the trust of those we serve is our highest priority and when that trust is violated, we take swift action to address it. Within 24 hours of becoming aware of the posts, we placed the employees on administrative leave, and within another 24 hours, we terminated those involved as part of this ongoing investigation.
We expect all team members to live our patients-first mission and uphold the highest standards of compassion, professionalism and respect. We are using this inappropriate incident to reinforce our comprehensive policies with all our team members across the organization as part of our commitment to providing all patients with high-quality, compassionate care.”
[Ed Note: This article was originally posted on September 2, 2025 and has been updated on September 4, 2025 with a new statement from Sutter Health announcing the employees have been fired.]
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PR and HR nightmare for Sutter-Sansum. You reap what you sow. Completely unacceptable and sad, not only for patients but also for the majority of docs and nurses who practice medicine and respect and treat their patients the right way. Like I said before, anyone seen in these pics/videos has to get canned, STAT. And the person(s) in HR who hired these yo-yo’s needs to get tossed too. Hire new people who actually have some judgement on who they hire.
I’ve worked in healthcare throughout numerous hospitals and clinics all across this state – from local neighborhood clinics here in town to tertiary academic hospitals, and everything in between – I’ve never seen anything like this.
You are kind of stating the obvious outcomes for what will happen. Not sure what you are shedding a light on. Working for a hospital or clinic I imagine your employer would like to know if their employee is posting here on edhat during their shift.
I agree. Personal health care is just that, personal. Completely unacceptable.
They should all be replaced now.
Whose personal health information was compromised? It’s a stain on a sheet, relax.
ZIPS – why are you bending over backward to defend this?
Zip leaves us a “GIFT” every time he comments.
GT – kinda getting the feeling he was one of them. The level of stupid needed to put your job on the line for laughing at bodily fluids is pretty on brand with her/his comments here.
ZIP – to compare calling these people out to the Salem witch trials exposes your abject and fundamental lack of historical knowledge. The more you post, the more it sounds like you were involved here. You defend this behavior while insulting those who object to it and display a glaring lack of common sense and education.
These people have to be REALLY STUPID to do this. Sounds familiar…..
You ever had a professional level job, or did you fail to rise above fry cook or janitor? There are certain expectations of professionals, this ain’t it.
It’s a blue day in 805 when all these normally at-odds Edhat commenters are in agreement. Except for Zippo, trolling just because of whatever mental disorder compels him to be contrarian, no matter what.
Much ado about nothing…
Exactly, no HIPA violation here. Just people at a job that needed a little tiny hazmat clean up, Oopsies!
Everyone canned, why? Who made You the Judge, Jury, and Executioner of policy?? Some of the photos do not imply any wrong doing at all, are you fricken serious? You just like posting some B. stuff. Not adorable!
Each and every photo is a violation of the company rules. You are not allowed to take photos in an exam room, much less pose with patients’ fluids, add smartass remarks and allow them to be posted online.
I recognize at least a couple of these nurses from recent visits to this Urgent Care facility. They should all be fired for participating in this, whether they were the ones posting it or not.
Much ado about nothing. Uptight transplants need to relax in Santa Barbara instead of looking for another person to try shaming online. What patient was being mocked? None. Blowing off steam is more like it. These are the same people who worked through Covid, and everyone seemed to cheer them then.
I bet half of them were in training/school and not yet working during COVID. They look very immature.
You must have been retired for a long time.
because they were not posting rude inconsiderate and demeaning photos of themselves, their jobs, and what their patients leave behind. it’s immature at the least and illegal and morally wrong at the most. you’re comparing apples to oranges Zippy. How is mocking ill patients who are experiencing incontinence, blowing off steam? Its being immature and rude af. Each of these ladies should be fired. They will be lucky if any of them ever works in healthcare again. That is the fact and reality of our world today
I’m third generation and I find it and you offensive. Take your own advice and ZIP IT.
Newcomers like you should zip it.
ZIP – Pretty sure HATSOFF has been around this site way longer than you have. You seem to be a new, hateful and weird addition to the local MAGAt team.
I miss St. Francis hospital..had my tonsils out in the 70’s. Hatsoff2ya sacjon.
So, this photo could have totally been taken after someone was seen post SA. Does that change your opinion of this?
We can see here the consequences of having a head the size of a pin.
There are many other ways to blow off steam. What these former medical professionals did was completely senseless. Of course they deal with bodily fluids. They were mocking their own careers and mocking the fact of dealing with patient bodily fluids. Medical professionals should be respectful. This is not appropriate conduct for Medical staff. I worked in Healthcare through Covid. I never imagined posting a video like this.
Leakage is normal, people do not even realize they are doing it. Go to any place that has cushions or textile chairs, they have stains.
Anyone posting photos of their workplace to social media is an idiot.
In healthcare, you can’t be a clueless, insensitive idiot posting on tik tok like this – that’s for sure. Adios kiddos, you just lost your jobs.
Basic Info, for sure!
i’ll take it a step further, anyone posting anything to social media is an idiot. get outdoors people…touch grass
Truth.
Independent and KEYT copied Edhat’s reporting, looks like this story is gaining steam.
Completely inappropriate and a serious lack of judgment by everyone concerned.
UCLA Health is looking better by the minute.
Classic FAFO
Resume item for all of those people.
Imagine what they really take pictures of and share!
You’re Fired!
Why is this even interesting or funny to them? Don’t nurses deal with bodily fluids all the time? It seems super dumb/weird.
I know, right? It’s dumb.
Just wait until you are so old and/or sick that you pee a bit on an exam table. Maybe fear was the cause. This is so undignified. If you want to lighten the mood to one another in private, go ahead but posting this is outrageous!
I’ve had vaginal exams where the doctor uses a gel lubricant, which would leave residue like this. It’s just such a big nothing, I can’t understand why these employees were amused.
I’ve torn the paper and put it in the trash myself…
Recently Santa Barbara has had many important issues before us- this is not one of them. Attention to the monster apartments on Milpas St and La Cumbre Plaza, the continuing decay of State Street, and crime might benefit our community more than trying to shame individuals for alleged ‘crimes’.
Wow, I think you call this “professional suicide.” I see about 8 or 9 recognizable faces. Remember folks, anything posted online is “forever.” This is common sense 101 and looks like all of you nurses failed.
I am a nursing instructor and will use this in my module covering professionalism. Thanks for giving me content for “what not to do as a nurse,” or I could call it “Ways to get yourself terminated.”
The crazy thing is why in the F- should these folks have even needed to be TAUGHT at their age and intended career paths that such things are beyond inappropriate? Even if they hadn’t posted this and just joked around like this amongst themselves, making fun of patients?? Still 100% unacceptable. It shouldn’t be just the fear of getting caught for doing this stupid sh-t that stops you. It’s should be ethics, how you were raised, patient empathy. Hello?
As a healthcare professional, this is just a “WOW” moment for me. Never heard of or seen anything like it. This kind of stuff should be simple common sense. But as they say, ‘common sense isn’t as common anymore’….
But you lack it at an uncommon level.
“As a healthcare professional” I’m not sure dumping waste baskets is considered being a healthcare professional.
It’s a given that this was a dumb move, but to say that it was criminal is just as dumb. There were no patients identities revealed, so no harm, no foul. At worst, this was unprofessional and tacky. They all paid an expensive price and trust it was a learning lesson.
Your comment is the only one that mentions “criminal”.
Although this occurred at Cottage Hospital, it illustrates the consequence of unprofessional nursing.
The morning after her procedure to place a stint in a cardiac artery (too small for the previous surgeon to place one in it), the patient was dressing, and burst the femoral artery closure as she attempted to get her panties on. This resulted in massive internal bleeding that resulted in here demise, but not before they subjected her head to a CT scan predicated on her hysterical behavior.
The patient’s ICU nurse was not in attendance while the patient was dressing, as it occurred near the time for a shift change, as related to me by the nurse who inherited the patient on her new shift.
All should be aware, that Cottage Hospital staff are composed of a disproportionate number of inexperienced students, and the ICU Attending Physician was a contractor.
You’ve been warned…
Medicine as practiced in the US is not only corrupt, but last in positive outcomes.
Big-pharma, Hospitals, and insurance companies have rigged the system to line their pockets first; actual medical treatment is unimportant to them.
https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-01-31/u-s-leads-in-health-care-spending-but-is-last-for-health-outcomes-among-rich-nations
The Deep Truth, no one will listen no one even can begin to
Terminated is a bit harsh. Write up warnings for some, others may be fired. some may need a new career or job at a different location. Terminated sounds like HR watched too many Arnold Schwarzenegger movies. So eighties to “terminate employees.”
ZIP – “alleged ‘crimes’.”
Ok, first of all, you didn’t use your quotation marks correctly. I know that’s big for you since all you do is correct typos and misstatements as if they make a comment irrelevant by their very existence.
More importantly though, NOT. A. SINGLE. PERSON. has said anything to suggest these are crimes. Stop making up things to get hysterical about. Liar.
Finally, the City of SB has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with this. They are not devoting resources to this that would have been used to stop the 8 story monstrosity at the Mission or cleaning up State St. Are you 7 years old? Do you not know how a City works? Even if they were, they have plenty of resources to deal with multiple issues at a time.
As for people being upset about this, same thing. People can be upset about multiple things at once. Heck, just look at you MAGAts! Constantly crying about immigrants, trans people, and liberals.
So funny seeing MAGAts complain that one issue is being focused on to the detriment of all other issues. Funniest part is, the issue they’re whinging about is always something that makes them look bad.
A former employee posted images on TikTok of urgent care staff members looking at what “appears to be” bodily fluids left behind on a paper sheet covering a bed in an exam room.
Whether the posting was with or without each of their knowledge or permission is not known.
The captions & theme of each image could be of the former employees alone.
The edhat news headline states “allegedly mocking patients”
No patients names or data were exposed.
Until the true facts are known perhaps stepping back & taking a deep breath would be good.
Yeah. Nah. I am not ok with these photos coming out of a local healthcare clinic that my family uses. Are you related to someone in the photos? Strange flex to go out of your way to defend this behavior.
General,
Look again at my comment & actually read it this time, then describe which part(s) of it indicate a defense of anyone purported to have been involved in this incident.
I dont have time to respond to word salads.
I can’t IMAGINE being ok standing there having my picture taken in that scenario. Dude, you’re wrong.u
HALIBUT – what more facts do you need?
They have exhibited immaturity, cruelty, and unprofessionalism in a place where these things should never be. People are sitting on those tables at their most vulnerable state and these childish morons post photos of their bodily fluids as some sort of joke? This is abhorrent behaviour even without naming patients. It creates a sense of distrust and fear of being ridiculed by the very people we are supposed to be open with in order to stay alive.
To defend this is disgusting.
Sac,
Look again at my comment & actually read it this time, then describe which part(s) of it indicate a defense of anyone purported to have been involved in this incident.
HALIBUT – Dismissing this, asking for more facts, etc is to defend it. Or in the very least, consider the photos themselves on their face to be not offensive.
Think with brain.
HaliButt52 – The people in the photos now have been officially fired – THE FACTS ARE KNOWN. Is it ok for us to come forward now, after having stepped back and taken a deep breath?
Even without the “facts,” the video is unprofessional. Period. The former employees could have poured water on the exam table for all we know. We do know how it was capitioned describing patients leaving gifts. To poke fun at bodily fluids in a medical center with medical professionals is . . . you decide. To mock bodily fluids by so called medical professionals doesn’t seem right or okay in any way, perhaps?
Creepy and not funny
Nice to see almost everyone in the comments agrees for a change.
I’m a former healthcare worker.
Terrible judgment on their part. They should all be fired.
As a Registered Nurse with 38+ years of working in Hospitals and as a CNA in 2 nursing homes I have never seen anything like this. I am appalled and horrified that anyone would mock someone or take pictures of their bodily fluids and post them online. This is a betrayal of trust. Patients need to be able to trust their doctors and nurses and not worry that their most private health matters are different for humour or conversation. This is unprofessional and every single one of those people involved need to be fired and reported to the BRN.
100%
I had accidentally stumbled across a Facebook post suggesting there were arrest made (ICE) referencing a KTLA article (I don’t have Facebook, so attempted to verify). The only KTLA reference I was able to locate says they were fired? (hoping this is accurate!)
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/santa-barbara-clinic-staff-tiktok-bodily-fluids/
Six employees in one room acting like idiots—they must be over staffed.
MAybe tOo MuCh AdDerall? It’s a hEll of a druG.
It makes me so sad to read this. I am a healthcare professional. This behavior from the Sansum staff is completely unacceptable! Patients visit Urgent Care needing help. They deserve respect and extra understanding. As patients, they already feel vulnerable, and it is extra important to make an effort to ease hteir fears, to listen to their concerns and to earn their trust. The loss of trust engendered by this behavior is irreparable. All of the involved staff should no longer be allowed to work with patients.
Ridiculous overreaction by people over something that shows NO PATIENT INFO and harms NO ONE. No one is harmed here. Not a soul. Except for the nurses, who did something dumb, but nothing worthy of public shaming and firing.
In a town desperate for Dr’s and nurses, firing these people for a prank is beyond stupid. Over reaction is the new reaction… Good luck getting into your next Dr appt ladies.
We really should rename Santa Barbara to Santa Karen. Far more appropriate for a town that is now incapable of doing anything but pearl clutching, op ed writing and faux outrage.
It’s not criminal but it’s against the company’s ethics, horrible for their brand, and will deter patients (aka customers). I agree that they should be reprimanded and suspended without pay but not fully fired. This story is now national (way to go Edhat for being the first to cover it!) and it’s causing a lot of outrage from around the world, and that outrage is justified… but not illegal.
Professionalism, it’s so old school. You kids today wouldn’t understand it.
Of course BROBRAH doesn’t care about the feelings of vulnerable people.
Calling men “ladies” is also typical of an uneducated, self centered, likely lonely man-boy who thinks he’s an Alpha.
MAGA has no moral compass.
They absolutely should have been fired. If they hadn’t, what kind of message would that have sent? It could have turned into some viral social media trend. I wouldn’t want these former medical professionals helping anyone. If they think this behavior is ok, what else is ok for them? The judgment of these former medical staff in a professional setting was completely off.
I agree, but the sore losers must vent their frustrations somewhere!
As, apparently, must idiots.
Good on you, Sutter. People who belittle and shame vulnerable people like this destroy the trust that is needed for public health treatment. These people demonstrated that they’re clearly incapable of their jobs and maintaining the sense of dignity and trust one expects when going to an urgent care center, especially.
Thank you.
After many decades in town with my family undergoing procedures big and small with Sansum & Cottage, we were followed up by a nurse’s call fewer times than I can count on one hand, despite repeatedly being assured this would happen from a spectrum of departments. Today, following a procedure at Pueblo yesterday, a follow up call from a nurse was received. Coincidence? Statistically unlikely. But it happened.
I mention this in an effort to look at the bright side of life.
Thank you for the update. People seeking medical treatment are especially vulnerable and it is essential that they can fully trust their providers. Hopefully this incident will lead to better vetting and training for all Sansum/Sutter employees, so that patients will feel safe seeking treatment there.
Not to make this a generational thing, but they all look pretty young…I guess “maturity” is not valued anymore, as this seems more like junior high school behavior.
One staff in the photos looks “older,” so age and maturity don’t necessarily co-exist.
They absolutely should have been terminated. If they hadn’t, others might have copied them. I can’t imagine why these former employees would post that. They made a video stating the obvious, as a joke? Of course they are going to deal with bodily fluids! These “medical professionals” picked the wrong career. Heaven forbid they ever transferred to labor and delivery or the ER…. major reality check!
The California BRN needs to investigate these RN’s licenses. If an investigation is opened, they many not realize that they would be “on the hook” for any investigation expenses incurred. This can be upwards of thousands of dollars. Not to mention, it’s public record. Any current or future employer can look up your license and see any judgements or investigations. Hope future and current RNs reading this takes this as a warning. A few minutes of fun and “blowing off steam” can cost you everything. This could be career-ending for these nurses, for sure!
Well, they got what they wanted–they went viral. Maybe it was worth it for them? Can you say, DUMB?
It’s satisfying to know that their parents, siblings, relatives, friends, and future children will all likely see this article at some point. That’s some pretty hard-core public shaming. They should be grateful their names haven’t been published, the photos are enough. “What were my 15 minutes of fame? Oh, when I worked in healthcare and posed in a Tik-Tok video that mocked our patients’ bodily fluids.”
You should tell us all about what it’s like to have lived an error free life.
You already have chronicling the life of an imbecile covered.
No, definitely not an error free life. I do think this type of unprofessionalism should be taken very seriously, though. Medical professionals are supposed to be trustworthy and respectful. They handle patient’s delicate and potentially embarrassing situations. This behavior at the workplace was not okay, and should not become anywhere near the norm. It’s like they went against the healthcare worker ethical code. Patients deserve better than this belittling and joking for being a patient and having bodily fluid incidents. It’s not a joke for a patient to be a patient, or for medical staff to do their jobs. It’s important to treat patients with dignity. Blow off steam not at your workplace, and don’t post videos making fun of patient’s vulnerable situations in this way.
Come back in a year and see, but read the comments here and realize that this mob is pretty angry. It’s bad and all distasteful and that. but does anyone think that some of the people in the photos could have been coerced or influenced to participate by a superior and had nothing to do with posting themselves, thought the photos were for a staff party, or any number of other circumstances that could come to light. In addition the quick public firing I would bet money that Sutter ends up paying out 5,6,even 7 figures to some of those in the fotos.
It’s not that deep. They acted like clowns at work, they got caught out, fired, that’s it.
Only a few of the actual “firings” for misconduct from organizations like Sutter (which are quite rare – usually it’s worked out to a resignation or retirement ) evade attorney involvement, especially where licensed professionals are involved. Wakey wakey.
Sounds like you’ve adopted the con mindset that stupid is the new normal.
Verdad realidad, read the comments note that most are just mob expressions not based in reality or fact just emotion. When that’s the mainstream do you know how f****** you are. Same cosmic dissonance and failure to understand reality that’s giving you Americans a choice between communists and fascists now.
LONGTIME – “not based in reality or fact”
Um…. did you look at the photos? Case closed.
Case Closed?
Funny, since none of LTSB’s comments are based on anything but pure speculation. Denying facts is the new normal.
LOLIDGAF
I doubt they had contracts, they were fired for cause. Buh-Bye.
Don’t cry
Surely several of those “fired” have already engaged counsel (search Anticouni) and will be pursuing wrongful termination and defamation claims most of which will quietly be settled with cash and ndas. Attorney children will attend private schools and sports camps funded by this incident. No question about it.
LONGTIME – there is no defamation claim here. They were fired for the photos they posted of themselves. Wrongful termination would be tough too. There are signs in those rooms that prohibit photography and there is no argument that they didn’t act unprofessionally and with some malice towards patients. They clearly violated ethics rules if not their own terms of employment. If they do sue, I hope Sutter doesn’t settle. Actions have consequences.
Correct me if I’m wrong but I doubt that all those shown in the fotos posted actually posted them themselves.? That is huge. If your superior told you to be in a room and a photo was taken that you had no control over and never thought about again, and then 2 years later that foto gets posted and you get fired for it – it’s DAMN SURE that you will get into court with a defamation and wrongful termination claim. The only thing that will keep it out is settlement dollars. Sutter will be working to quiet this asap and they will pay big dollars to do it without question. Last thing they need is to be notoriously suing former employees while simultaneously trying to recruit professionals into the most expensive place in the country to live.
Wow… that is some serious mental gymnastics! They were now possibly forced to be in those photos? LOL
Now show the cause for defamation. What was the knowingly false statement(s) made about these nurses and where were they identified by name?
LONGTIME – they weren’t fired without cause. Also, the photos themselves rebut any false statement you might think were made. They are literally the proof that they posed for photos with patients’ bodily fluids, exactly what Sutter is saying the did. No defamation.
But by all means, take their case! Make your law school proud! I mean, you know what defamation is, right? 🤣
I respect that people hate this and everything about it. But also kind of interesting to observe that many of the commenters simply seem to have knives out, nothing more. (Kind of irrational like how people hate my electric Hummer and Cybertruck.) The jump to judgment on the basis of a few photos and a self serving press release by the entity (or successor entity) that allowed it all to happen at work tells you nothing of the actual circumstances of the case and each every individual who has been publicly shamed in this debacle is sad to see and kind of un-American in a quaint 20th century way, I suppose. And claims and settlements will happen. A disaster for all involved in any event. By the way my youngest kid pees in the examining or waiting room almost every time we take him to the doctor, then he laughs about it without a care in the world. Of course. He’s 3.
LONGTIME – “many of the commenters simply seem to have knives out, nothing more”
No, people are justifiably outraged by this and you just can’t (or likely refuse) to understand why.
I can’t keep repeating why this is so bad. Figure it out yourself.
Please note that my commentary is based only on the rush to judgment and likely outcomes when stuff like this happens, just reality,meineschatzi. I think what happened sucks and shouldn’t have happened. Glad to see tones moderating somewhat. I have lots of opinions about health care institutions and their personnel that I won’t belabor you with.
Is this use of pidgin German part of the whole fascism is cool movement?
LONGTIME – noted. Also, you should work on your German.
You don’t have a Ehummer and Cybertruck.
Really? lol.
Really.
Simply not believable that anyone could have such poor taste. Or abide that much ugly in their driveway.
I wonder if anyone took photos with Charlie Kirk’s gifts.
Incontinence is a part of life. Many people have it young and old people and everyone in between can suffer from an inability to hold bladder fluids and other things in the bowels. Why post about it. Simply, one has to question the level or lack of sensitivity.
Go to any place that has elderly people and look at the cushions, they all have stains consistent with bladder issues. Literally look at the seats, couches, chairs, they all have stains. The patients are likely not aware they are even leaking.
Maybe HIPA laws were not violated here, as the names of the patients were not released, they are legally OK with HIPA. Yet, form a social perspective it makes the medical company look bad. I know working in the medical field is probably the most happy job. Having fun at work in this case let to a culture of carelessness and thus we have a scandal to pass judgment upon.
I have had interactions with some of these employees. It is sad to see them go, as they seemed pretty nice. I can not believe they slipped up like this.
Case by case reviews should be performed. Management can not just fire everyone from all the clinics.
Corporations can sometimes have sweeping mandates in a reactive situation involving a public relations scandal. Not wise to be reactive and quickly punish everyone, each person is an individual and each circumstance is different. Each employee deserves a second chance.
“not the most happy job
They may get that – but somewhere else, please.
GEO DUARTE or THE TEK or ANON (all the same) – It’s HIPAA, not HIPA, and no one, not even Sutter, is saying they violated any laws, much less HIPAA.
You’re exactly right though, it is about sensitivity. It’s also about dignity. Those are essential to public health. They people violated those ethical requirements for their jobs and tarnished the name of their employer, not to mention humiliated patients who might have been seen by those same staff.
I trust Sutter did their investigation and found cause to fire them all. I hope it teaches a lesson to others who might be doing this or worse. If you can’t act maturely and treat all patients with the dignity and respect they have entrusted you with, you can’t work in this field. Full stop.
Eroding trust in clinics like this can cost people their lives. I don’t think those who are defending their actions or even bemoaning the fact they were fired really understand this. When people see this and decide not to go in for exams that can prevent things like cancer, then people die.
Healthcare is not a joke.
HIPPA, Health Information Protection and Privacy Act. Why my NAME in all CAPS? We have been friendly in previous interactions. Hope all is good W. U?
Sac Jon, each individual case is separate, for each employee. Not all the people in the picture are guilty just by association. I am not defending their actions, obviously they messed up. Yet, seems like someone on the web or many are throwing all of them under the bus. Time to investigate and treat everyone with fairness, respect and due diligence. We can not live in a society without any due process. That would be cruel, savage and uncivilized.
Separating straws in social encounters may be tedious. It is a necessity no doubt for fairness and understanding the dynamic of a serious situation where HIPPA could have been at risk. (SacJon thanks for the correction on HIPPA spelling)
This is just about bodily incontinence headaches at work, and obviously the paper liner is helping to deal with the issue. It is a HAZMAT issue and a pain for the employee who has to clean, sanitize, and possibly write a report about these bodily fluids being present.
I would have never posted or re-posted these pics. This job must be hard, since they felt so inclined to “air-out these issues” if it may,.
Ultimately posting pics on social media was immature at and unprofessional. SMDH!
GEO – No beef here, just pointing out where I disagree and where I think you may be missing the point. I always put names in all caps, it’s just how I comment.
HIPAA 🙂
“HIPPA, Health Information Protection and Privacy Act.”
Wrong. How many times do you need to be told that it’s HIPAA?
https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/php/resources/health-insurance-portability-and-accountability-act-of-1996-hipaa.html
Sure, it’s PHI. (Protected Health Information) (PHI). Yet when we worked at a local health coverage company, when health discrimination ran rampant.
We knew it as a health Information Protection and Privacy Act or Law. That’s what we called it, and we will go to the grave with that to protect it. : )
Our educational video obviously called it by the legal name “…portability and accountability…” yet the employees did better with, INFO PROTECTION AND PROVACY ACT… Trust me it worked!
PEACE
*Privacy
*HIPAA
😉
*at work
Since this is still being discussed I might as well add my perspective. According to a close friend in the medical field you can put the people involved into 3 categories. I don’t believe they should all be judged the same.
Category 1 (Bystanders): There are a number of individuals that were truly innocent in this. There was one photo (first in the series) with a couple people smiling that were simply taking a photo for departing coworker. No patient rooms or fluids in the photo. These workers did not deserve to be fired. I think Sansum went too far with them and likely deserve a retraction. I don’t believe taking that specific photo is any violation of policy. The pitchfork wielding internet hoard should understand that just about anyone could have ended up in that single photo.
Category 2. (Participants): These are the workers posing with fluids and in patient rooms. This was bad judgement on the part of the workers in those photos. I can see it being the result of a certain type of workplace culture that went too far. Disciplinary action for those participants is necessary.
Category 3 (the Poster): Now we get to the real villain. “Angie”, or whoever she is, that put these together and posted them is simply an idiot. Her lack of judgment and common sense needs to be understood by any future employers. The saddest part is that she left and likely suffered the least impact from the scandal she alone caused. While I’m sure she feels guilty, she got away too easily. A public name and shame wouldn’t be too out of order here.
BOSCO – Were those in the group photo (not the one in the exam room) fired? If so, perhaps Sansum found more in their investigation? I agree though, simply being in a group photo with no other apparent violations should not be a fireable offense. As to the other 2 categories, they defiled their patients’ trust and violated their employer’s rules. They got what they deserved. “Angie” certainly did not act alone though. They all were willing and joyful participants in taking photos in exam rooms like 10 year old kids.
Actions have consequences.
I heard that all the workers in the photos were fired regardless of their level of participation. I do understand there was an investigation but I still feel at least some of them deserve a bit of sympathy if they were simply grabbed in the hallway and told to smile for a photo.
Were they just grabbed and told to smile for a photo (next to patients’ bodily fluids in an exam room where photos are prohibited)? They were also all in the group photo posing around the stain in the exam room. So that’s 2 photos (at least) that they may have been “simply grabbed” and told to pose. I don’t think so…..
But yeah, the guys in the first photo at the desk (not in an exam room) didn’t appear in the other photos and unless they found more or were maybe the ones taking the photo, they shouldn’t have been fired.
But, this is a lot of making up pretty far fetched scenarios…..
Sansum Clinic has a “No Photo, Video or Recording” policy for all areas of its facilities, including patient areas. The policy is in place to protect patient privacy and confidentiality, and it is strictly enforced. Employees take regular training for their policies. Healthcare and medical companies have EXTREMELY strict policies when it comes to photography.
I know that there are literally thousands of stupid tik toc videos taken from inside medical centers and hospitals around the internet. It certainly is not uncommon for workers to take photos from inside hospitals. Are they all violating policy? It would be smart for Sansum to have a no photo policy so that might make more sense why all were fired. I just know if I posted anything from inside my workplace, I’d be instantly fired. Seems like common sense.
Yes agree with your points. I don’t know if the folks who were in the group photo (who were not involved in the awful photos were fired). I might have missed something in the conversation here.
The Sutter Health press release says specifically it was “an outright violation of our policies[.]”
Thank God we have all these expert groups working on this. The human resources people and the upper medical doctors and management are going to need this last week.
That made no sense.