A Michigan hospital has been charged with racial discrimination by an African-

American nurse. Tonya Battle, a certified nurse who has worked for the same hospital for many years and has worked in the Intensive Care Unit for newborn babies, “was barred from treating an infant patient” (Gates, 2013). Her skin color was the reason for her removal from her assignment.

Nurse Battle was reassigned after the baby’s father requested that no African Americans take care of his child. As he made the request, he pulled up his shirt sleeve and displayed a tattoo which appeared to be “a swastika of some kind” (NBC News, 2013). The hospital complied and reassigned the baby to another nurse.

In addition, the court proceeding states that a note was attached to the infant’s file saying, “No African American nurse to take care of baby”

(Gates, 2013). Even though attorneys for the hospital presented a different argument, it seems that “the hospital honored the patient’s request for more than a month” (Gates, 2013; NBC News, 2013).

Nurse Battle, who filed a discrimination claim, is asking for compensation for damages to her reputation and stress-related problems in her lawsuit.

Discussion Questions:

1. How would you have reacted to this situation?

2. How would you feel about this issue emotionally?

3. Do you think the hospital acted in an appropriate manner? Please explain.