Many healthcare workers believe a sacred trust exists between themselves and those they serve. In fact, many would add that the dignity and respect afforded to patients doesn’t solely extend to work hours, but also during off-hours, as well.
In the age of social media and viral videos, hard lessons have been learned that what nursing students, nurses, and their healthcare colleagues post on the internet matters, and one line that should never be crossed is the mocking, belittling, or denigration of patients, not to mention the violation of patient privacy.
A recent TikTok video posted by staff at a Sutter Health urgent care clinic in Santa Barbara violated the trust of patients, leading to significant online backlash.
In that video, staff are seen mocking body fluid stains left behind by patients on exam tables in their clinic, with captions asking viewers if their patients also leave behind such “gifts”, and wondering if viewers could name the body fluids in question. This was obviously a tasteless attempt at gross-out humor at the expense of patients’ experience, and the resulting furor is wholly understandable.
Sutter Health fired these employees immediately and issued a series of public statements, leading one to imagine that some, or all, of their careers in healthcare may have met a well-deserved and inglorious end.
The Mindless Pursuit of Likes
Most people who post on TikTok and other platforms are encouraged by the accumulation of likes and views. This process can sometimes lead to momentary fame or even financial reward. And it has long been understood that many users choose their content based on an estimation of just how viral it might become.
In previous incidents, we’ve seen nursing students kicked out of their programs for similar violations, as well as other moments of decidedly poor judgment by various members of the healthcare workforce.
Since none of the fired employees have been publicly interviewed, we have no reliable information regarding their motivations. We can likely safely assume that one or two individuals noticed a stain on the exam table paper after a patient visit, made a joke, took a photo, shared it with a few coworkers, and someone had the “bright” idea to post a TikTok video with a collection of additional photos and captions featuring more than half a dozen employees.
While there are many troubling aspects to the situation, one such question is why not a single individual among the group verbalized reservations about such actions. Even in such a moment of peer social contagion, it’s equally surprising that each person involved in the making of the TikTok video agreed to pose for photos that they fully knew would be seen worldwide.
Consider the motivations of many people who post on social media. There’s little mystery behind the notion that likes and the potential for going viral can often short-circuit common sense and the ability to distinguish right from wrong.
The Giving Side of the Stethoscope
We who work in healthcare must continue to earn the public’s trust every day, and we can never let our guard down to the extent that we lose sight of the sacredness of that trust.
Organizational mission statements and hallway posters extolling corporate values are fine, but when it comes down to it, those of us who touch, counsel, assist, and treat patients do so with the understanding that we are often serving people in their darkest and most frightening moments.
Whether it’s cancer, schizophrenia, or a UTI, every patient deserves to know that we honor their vulnerability and their trust, and will never take our relationship with them — and with the public at large — for granted.
Unfortunately, the workers in Santa Barbara who were rightfully dismissed lost sight of both their individual and collective mission. As a result, they may lead some members of the public to question their desire to seek care due to concerns about trusting those who are supposed to treat them. This situation is truly regrettable and tragic.
Yes, a few bad apples can’t spoil the entire industry. Yet, each time such events occur, we must remember that our work in healthcare and patients’ willingness to trust us are truly a gift not to be taken lightly.
Moments like this should prompt us to pause and reflect on why we’ve chosen careers in healthcare, helping us align ourselves anew with our highest purpose. Our patients deserve no less, and our careers are better for it when we reconnect with the vision of why we’ve chosen to dedicate ourselves to remaining on the giving side of the stethoscope.
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