Supervisors at Abington Memorial Hospital in Philadelphia have explained that they sought only to avoid a confrontation when they told African American employees to stay out of a patient's room after a man ordered that no blacks assist in the delivery of his child.
Philadelphia Inquirer, Oct. 3, 2003
NAACP wants hospital supervisors punished
Local leaders call for Abington hospital to discipline those who told minority staffers to stay out of a patient's room.
Local NAACP leaders yesterday called on Abington Memorial Hospital to discipline supervisors who told minority employees to stay out of a patient's room after a man demanded that only white staffers assist in the delivery of his baby.
( By Oliver Prichard, Inquirer Staff Writer, 10/04/2003 03:01 AM EDT)
I live within 20 miles of Abington Hospital and was born there. Yesterday, there was a full-page ad in our local newspaper which was, basically, an apology and an outlining of the steps the hospital is taking to insure this doesn't happen again (diversity committee, for example). I tried to do a Google Search yesterday to see if I could post the ad, but couldn't find it.
I would like to see it if you can find it RN-PA,Thanx!
I pulled the newspaper out of my recycle pile and will type what the full-page ad says (10/08/03):
"Open Letter
To Our Community:
First and foremost, it is with great sadness that I find it necessary to apologize to our community for the events that transpired recently at Abington Memorial Hospital.
We experienced a situation last month that I find morally reprehensible. A maternity patient's family member made requests of the hospital that were racially discriminatory. In a misguided attempt to protect African American employees from a potential conflict with this family, maternity staff informed them of the volatile situation and suggested that they not interact with this patient. While these actions were made with the best intentions, it was perceived that the hospital was acquiescing to the family's wishes.
Let me assure you that Abington Memorial Hospital is a non-discriminatory organization. Abington Memorial Hospital has long had in place a policy stating, 'inpatient and outpatient care will be provided on a non-discriminatory basis; all patients will be admitted and receive care without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, sexual preference, religion, age or handicap/disability. Employees will be assigned to patient services without regard to the race, creed, color, national origin or religion of either the patient or employee.'
We value each and every member of our staff as caring and competent professionals. It is devastating to us that this circumstance has occurred, and we are resolved to ensure that this never happens again.
A number of initiatives have been undertaken since this event:
-Personally apologizing to staff involved;
-Sending a memo reinforcing the hospital's anti-discrimination policy to all staff, employees, and volunteers;
-The formation of a new diversity task force of hospital employees to develop a revised plan, should a similar situation arise in the future;
-Open employee forums are being held to discuss the circumstances and review our policy;
-Hiring consultants to help managers handle sensitive cultural issues; and,
-Revising the hospital's anti-discrimination policy to immediately notify high-level administrators when such problems occur.
As painful as these circumstances have been for our organization and indeed, for our entire community, it will forevermore serve as a reminder that racism and bigotry cannot and will not be tolerated at Abington Memorial Hospital. We continue to seek ways to help heal those affected, and to strive to do better in the future."
I also saw this in the papers and have to say that I have a lot of respect for Abington Hospital for trying to make things right. In the end bigots are more trouble that their worth. By the way the supervisors involved have been disciplined for not following policy.
Unbelievable, so will the kid go to some white only school, on a white only bus. Do the family go to white only restaurants with white only cooks and wait staff. If either the kid or mother required a blood transfusion, what, white only blood. Maddness . This was not a matter of choice, this is a racist couple who were allowed to sow their hatred by the admin of this hospital. Shame.
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.
Administrators at Philadelphia's Abington Memorial Hospital say they have disciplined supervisors who ordered African American employees to stay out of a patient's room after her husband demanded that only white staffers assist in the delivery of his baby.
Maybe hospitals can require pts and families members to read and sign a type of "informed consent" stating that the pt has been informed of and is aware that their care may involve people of both sexes, and any and all ethnicities, national origins, religions, etc. and that the pt and family must accept this in order to receive care there.
Of course, these forms could not be used in emergency situations, but regulations implying consent in an emergency may already exist.
The pts and families should be cordially invited to seek care elsewhere if they have aproblem with it.
did they also send memos to the community to remind them that racism is not tolerated in this hospital?. Such poor judgement is too hard to believe.
I'm not sure if you're referring to the "letter to the community" I posted above. That letter was a full-page ad stating that racism would not be tolerated and appeared in our local newspaper; I assume it was printed in others as well.
I sort of like Hellllllo Nurse's idea about an "informed consent" form. It may be necessary for hospitals to have one for prevention's sake.
RN-PA, RN
626 Posts
I live within 20 miles of Abington Hospital and was born there. Yesterday, there was a full-page ad in our local newspaper which was, basically, an apology and an outlining of the steps the hospital is taking to insure this doesn't happen again (diversity committee, for example). I tried to do a Google Search yesterday to see if I could post the ad, but couldn't find it.