A group of healthcare workers in California have been dismissed after a TikTok video showed them apparently mocking bodily fluid stains left on examination tables. The since-deleted video, shared over the weekend, was captioned “Guess the substance” and featured employees at Sansum Clinic in Santa Barbara posing with what appeared to be patient discharge.
The video, which went viral, included a series of images showing staff members smiling and giving thumbs-up next to stains on exam tables. Text overlays read “yes!” and “And we love them so much,” with subsequent images noting the “gifts” come in “all shapes and sizes” and “all shades and opacities.” The final photo showed a group huddled around a stained table, captioned: “Make sure to leave your healthcare workers sweet gifts like these!”
Sutter Health, which operates Sansum Clinic, confirmed in a statement that the employees involved had been fired. “This unacceptable behaviour is an outright violation of our policies, shows a lack of respect for our patients and will not be tolerated,” the health network said. It also noted that the person who shared the TikTok and appeared in the clip had not worked for the facility in two months.
Despite the video’s deletion, screen grabs continued to circulate on social media, prompting outrage. On Reddit’s r/Santabarbara page, users condemned the incident as “beyond unprofessional” and “unethical.” One commenter wrote: “These people know they don’t have to work in healthcare right? Makes me so sad that we can’t even trust anyone at the doctors.” Another called for licences to be revoked, stating “Fired isn’t enough.”
Sutter Health has invited patients to discuss their experiences via email, and those who believe their privacy or dignity was violated can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.
