The so-called "no black nurses lawsuit" is causing a huge stir this week. In response to this Examiner.com article on the case, Hurley's President and CEO Melany Gavulic, RN, MBA sent the statement below to give the hospital's side of the case. In the issue of fairness, the statement is presented in its entirety.
If you aren't familiar with the story, in a nutshell, veteran nurse Tonya Battle is suing the medical center because she was not allowed to care for a baby because she is African-American. The request came from the baby's father, an apparent racist who displayed a Nazi swastika. Again, more details on the story are posted here. The story includes a video report.
Here's the statement from Hurley Medical Center issued Wednesday morning, Feb. 20:
—“Hurley is proud to be the safety net provider for this community for over 105 years. We value the support of the patients who entrust us with their care and the dedication of our physicians and staff. This includes Nurse Battle and her quarter century of professionalism and dedication.
While I cannot comment on the suit and answer questions, I can share some insights. The issue was triggered by a father of a baby who demanded that no African American nurse be involved in his baby’s care. Upon making his demand, he then showed Nurse Battle’s supervisor his swastika tattoo, which created anger and outrage in our staff. This resulted in concern by supervisors for the safety of the staff. For these reasons, the request was initially evaluated; however, the father was informed that his request could not be granted.
Hurley Medical Center has had a rich history and reputation of supporting and valuing diversity and remains committed to our policy of non discrimination. As a premier academic medical center, Hurley strives to continuously provide education to our staff. This issue will be used in future training sessions to ensure that employees are prepared to handle situations such as this. We appreciate the community’s concern and involvement, as we publicly clarify the facts of this case. The medical center looks forward to a quick and amicable resolution.”
Melany Gavulic, RN, MBA
President & Chief Executive Officer
Hurley Medical Center
Once again, the original story on the "No black nurses lawsuit" is here. Do you have any comments on how the hospital is handling the case? Leave you comments below.
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