Was This Nurse Barred From Treating An Infant Because She's Black?
Tonya Battle is fighting a war of her own on race.
The nurse of 25 years at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, MI is filing a lawsuit against the hospital stating they refused to let her treat a patient after a man insisted to Battle’s supervisor that “he didn’t want African-Americans involved in his baby’s care.”
CNN reports that Battle was caring for the father’s baby in the neonatal intensive care unit when his request climbed its way up to management. Battle's lawsuit stated that the demand was allowed, yet in an earlier press conference (watch below), Melany Gavulic, president and CEO of Hurley, clarified that “the father was informed that his request could not be granted and as a result all nurses remained available to care for his baby.”
Furthermore, CNN reports that the suit says Battle’s manager called her at home to tell that she'd be reassigned and gave the reason why. There was allegedly a note on the baby's medical chart that read, "Please, no African-American nurses to care for… baby per dad’s request,” the lawsuit insists. Gavilic denies that that there was any note, but couldn’t comment as to whether Battle is still an employee at the facility.
Who’s telling the truth?
Watch the press conference above.
