Nurse who mocked COVID guidelines on TikTok no longer at hospital, Oregon facility says

A nurse in Salem, Oregon is no longer employed at the hospital where she worked following backlash over a TikTok video in which she mocked COVID-19 precautions.

Ashley Grames has agreed to stop practicing nursing in an agreement called “Interim Orders by Consent,” The Oregonian reported, citing state records. The agreement isn’t considered discipline and is in effect until the Oregon State Board of Nursing allows the nurse to practice again, according to the publication.

Salem Health told BuzzFeed News: “The nurse in question is no longer employed with Salem Health.”

There was a social media uproar over a TikTok video uploaded in November by Grames that flouted coronavirus guidelines, McClatchy News reported.

“When my coworkers find out I still travel, don’t wear a mask when I am out and let my kids have playdates,” read a caption on the video in which the nurse, wearing scrubs and a stethoscope, lip-syncs to a scene from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” KPTV reported.

The video and TikTok account have been deleted, but the video was posted by other TikTok users, according to KING.

On Nov. 28, Salem Health wrote in a Facebook post that Grames had been put on administrative leave pending an investigation, calling the video a “cavalier disregard for the seriousness of the pandemic.”

“We want to thank those of you who brought this to our attention and assure you that we are taking this very seriously,” the hospital chain said. “We also want to assure you that this one careless statement does not reflect the position of Salem Health or the hardworking and dedicated caregivers who work here.”

There were 95 coronavirus cases at Salem Hospital, part of Salem Health, as of Dec. 3, KGW reported.

More than 67 million cases of the COVID-19 virus have been confirmed worldwide with more than 1.5 million deaths as of Dec. 8, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 15 million confirmed cases with more than 284,000 deaths.

This story was originally published December 8, 2020 at 11:46 AM with the headline "Nurse who mocked COVID guidelines on TikTok no longer at hospital, Oregon facility says."