You may not like it, but he’s within his rights…
Much in the news today about a Michigan hospital being sued by a nurse who claims it fulfilled a father’s request to have no black nurses look after his baby in the neonatal intensive care unit last fall.
A black nurse sued Hurley Medical Center for discrimination and violation of the state civil rights act after the nurse manager reassigned her because of the man’s request for no black nurses, according to the complaint.
Personally, I think the nurse is in the wrong. A patient (or in this case, the patient’s parent) has the right to demand that anyone be removed from a care team, for any reason. Full stop. It could be their race, religion, where they went to school, where they graduated in their class, or that they just don’t like their looks. We don’t have to agree with or condone their reasoning, but we must honor their demand.
Medical care is an intimate encounter, and unless someone feels 100% comfortable with the provider, they should have the right to choose. And the hospital did nothing wrong by acquiescing to the father’s demands. They did not fire or penalize the nurse in any way. She doesn’t have to like it, but she needs to grow up and get over herself.
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Well said.
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I think that the father was completely wrong in what he did for the sheer racism of it, but yes, the patient (or guardian) does have the right to request who they want to have for care. I keep praying that such ugliness in human nature would have been gotten over by now, but alas, no luck there.
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i am with you on this. i read the news about what is going on, even if the man is disgusting, he is within his rights to have his child treated as he sees fit.
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Does not the Civil Rights Act cover this request? The nurse was denied work due to his race. Thats a violation of a Federal Law. I agree that the nurse should have sued. Racism has no place in our society today.
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Ok, I think this is another one of those moments when you need to sit down. In a word; I agree with you. I see the logic in your argument. Gosh, I hope this wasn’t too much for you.
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about 25 years ago, i had my gall bladder out. there was one night nurse that smoked so bad.. she smelled awful. i didn’t like it at all so i asked one of the day nurses to do whatever she had to do to make sure that night nurse didn’t come near me. it was done but i heard her fussing about it at my door. didn’t care… didn’t want her near me. i think the man had every right to have who he wantedto care for his child. the nurse was so out of line. this country is so sue happy. take care,
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I agree. Although I would be a little more concerned over the level of care given instead of the person’s skin color, I still have to agree with this one. The nurse wasn’t denied work, was she? Didn’t she still get to work and get paid?
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Very interesting viewpoint. Was she aware of it?
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I agree. As a nurse I would not want to care for someone who requested not to have me care for them..
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You’ve not written for a while so just thought I’d say hello!
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I asked for nurses to be removed – but my reasoning was much better – I had a nurse who refused to give me my medications at the correct time. Unfortunately, the man is a vile human being, but if the nurse did not lose work, she was not damaged by her employer. It’s sad that there are still people out there who feel like this. But I do agree she doesn’t really have a lawsuit.
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