ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 01: Emory University Hospital is seen on August 1, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. Officials with the hospital confirmed that Emory University Hospital will be receiving and treating two American patients diagnosed with Ebola virus. The Ebola infected patients will be transported to Emory University Hospital from Liberia in the next couple of days and receive supportive care in a isolation unit separate from the general hospital. (Photo by Jessica McGowan/Getty Images)
Emory Healthcare has reiterated its commitment to “providing empathetic, high-quality care” to its community and patients. Their announcement comes days after four labor-and-delivery nurses went viral for shaming patients and their families.
“We are aware of a TikTok video that included disrespectful and unprofessional comments about maternity patients at Emory University Hospital Midtown,” the statement said. “We have investigated the situation and taken appropriate actions with the former employees responsible for the video.”
In a video less than a minute long, the “former employees” listed their ‘icks’ regarding maternity patients. An ‘ick’ is similar to a pet peeve that causes disgust. The four nurses used on-the-clock time to film their version of a TikTok trend that’s been going on since 2020, per The Cut.
Amid giggles, rolling eyes, and sarcasm, the nurses belittled and passed judgment on patients, their needs, and alleged domestic situations. The nurses did not clarify whether the ‘icks’ they described were about current or former patients.
At this time, it’s unclear if the nurses quit or if Emory fired them. Nonetheless, their employer was less than pleased to see the video and made it known in their statement.
“The video does not represent our commitment to patient and family-centered care and falls short of the values and standards we expect every member of our team to hold and demonstrate. At no time should our patients ever feel they are not being treated with care and respect. Every patient at Emory Healthcare deserves to be cared for by a compassionate, experienced team in a comfortable and safe environment.”
Compassion and professionalism are two characteristics, named by Emory, that the nurses seemed to lack in the video. Three of the nurses appear to be Black, while the other appears to be Caucasian. Emory did not reveal their identities.
The first nurse in the video said, “my ick is when you come in for your induction, talking ’bout can I take a shower and eat.” She appeared in the clip three times–listing two icks and assisting the third nurse who spoke in exemplifying hers. Her second ick was “unlimited trips to the nurses’ station”–heavy on the eye roll.
Nurse number two followed up with, “my ick is when you ask me how much the baby weighs and it’s still in your hands.” This nurse only appeared in the video once.
A third nurse said her ick is when “dad comes outside and asks for a paternity test right outside the room door.” This nurse appeared in the video three times, listing three icks. Her second ick was family members asking for things at the nurses’ front desk instead of using the call button in the patient room. Her third ick was fathers going “room to room between one baby mama and your other baby mama.”
The fourth nurse described her ick as patients “saying you don’t want any pain medicine, no epidural, but you are at an 8 out of 10 pain,” and the cervix is still closed.
Well, it looks like now these women can discuss their icks with no limits…in the unemployment line!
Keep scrolling to see a few social media reactions, including additional accusations of patient mistreatment by one or more of the “former employees”:
