A nursing assistant at an acute care facility in Iowa was fired after a video of her ignoring and flossing over the bedside of a patient with a serious heart condition went viral, according to multiple news reports.
The woman who was not identified was terminated from her position at Ottumwa Regional Health Center in Ottumwa, IA, after the video spread online. In a statement, the center called the assistant's behavior unacceptable and said her behavior did not reflect the care its team provides, according to articles.
In the video posted on Facebook on December 25, 2024, by the patient's best friend, Joe Bainbridge, the patient can be seen trying to get the attention of the nurse assistant.
The patient, who has congenital heart disease, waves his arm at the assistant, but she can be seen continuing to floss over his bed. Then, the 42-second video, which was filmed on December 22, 2024, shows the assistant turning her back to him and looking out the window while she continues with her dental hygiene.
Bainbridge stated in his post that he shared the video to raise awareness about the care his best friend was receiving at the center. The video has been played more than 345,000 times.
Many criticized the assistant in the video with Monica L. VanGalder commenting, "Wtf there's so much bacteria in a mouth she's flossing and flinging everywhere!!!" In another comment, Cheryl Minoz Strklnd wrote, "Omg .... that's pretty disgusting behavior. Praying for this poor fella."
