Nurse Placed On Leave After Bragging On TikTok About Not Wearing A Mask
An oncology nurse posted a TikTok where she bragged about not following accepted health protocols
The history books will speak of 2020 as the year of pandemics, baseless claims of election fraud, and a bajillion Karens.
The latest Karen is an oncology nurse in Salem Oregon. Oncology, as in cancer. This… professional decided to post a hilarious TikTok where she boasted about ignoring the most basic COVID-19 restrictions. Basic, as in wearing a mask and social distancing.
Our new favorite Karen video shows a smirking woman wearing scrubs and a stethoscope, as the audio from the live-action version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas plays. The caption? When my coworkers find out I still travel, don’t wear a mask when I’m out and let my kids have play dates.”
The attitude marks a stark departure from the guidelines advised by the CDC, federal, state, and local health organizations, credible news outlets, and anyone with a conscience. Viewers identified the woman as an employee of Salem Health; thousands left messages on the company’s Facebook page. Some Facebook users questioned the logic in hiring a nurse who seems to believe in the Grinch more than science. Twitter user Doobie Duke Sims posted a reaction video about the nurse. “I mean you’re on the inside… and you’re seeing things,” he says in the video.”It’s just… more questions I have, than anything.” Doobie Duke Sims: the voice of reason in uncertain times. May we all strive to be as gracious as Mr. Doobie.
Many of the comments on Salem Health’s Facebook page said it was unfathomable for a nurse not to take the pandemic seriously or to flaunt ignoring basic COVID-19 precautions.
A spokesperson for Salem Health told BuzzFeed News on Sunday that the nurse’s name was Ashley Grames and confirmed she worked in the oncology department.
In a statement on Facebook, Salem Health did not go into details about the video but confirmed that one of their nurses had posted a video displaying her “indifference” to wearing masks outside of work and practicing social distancing. The statement went on to say the nurse had been “placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.” It’s unclear if the leave is with or without pay.
The hospital thanked community members for bringing the video to their attention.
The hospital went on to claim the nurse had displayed a “cavalier disregard for the seriousness of this pandemic” and took measures to ensure the community that she did not speak for Salem Health.
“We also want to assure you that this one careless statement does not reflect the position of Salem Health or the hardworking and dedicated caregivers who work here,” the hospital said. “The COVID pandemic is serious and requires a serious response. And at Salem Health we are very serious about our approach to COVID.”
The US is enduring a third wave of the pandemic that public health experts have said is likely to get worse after a worrisome uptick in holiday travel. More than 265,000 people in the US have died from the coronavirus so far.
Ashley Grames has since deleted her TikTok profile, @Loveiskind05.
The duet of the video by another TikTok user criticizing the nurse remains online.
