Indiana court ruling halts caregiver choices based on race

[FrenchieCat]

(I read a thread here about this story, but the emphasis of the OP and the OP title was the incident that led to the court ruling, as opposed to the focus being placed on the court ruling itself-- which I figured was the real news. :shrug: )

INDIANAPOLIS – Certified nursing assistant Brenda Chaney was on duty in an Indiana nursing home one day when she discovered a patient lying on the floor, unable to stand.

But Chaney couldn't help the woman up. She had to search for a white aide because the woman had left instructions that she did not want any black caregivers. And the nursing home insisted it was legally bound to honor the request.

The episode, which led to a recent federal court ruling that Chaney's civil rights had been violated....
(snip)
Now, Indiana state health officials expect to notify all nursing homes of the court ruling, and Frick said it could be cited as precedent throughout the nation.
(snip)
Chaney, a 49-year-old single mother who at the time was helping to put her only son through college, initially went along with the policy despite her misgivings because she needed the money.

"I always felt like it was wrong," said Chaney, who has worked in nursing homes since she earned certification in 2006. "I just had to go with the flow."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100823/ap_on_he_me/us_patient_prejudice



In this July 30, 2010 photo, Brenda Chaney poses in her attorney Denise LaRue's office , in Indianapolis. Nursing home residents have no right to choose who's going to take care of them based on race, according to the ruling of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals who ruled in favor of Chaney in July.

[CurtEastPoint]

1. I am just speechless. I feel bad for the patient but I hate to say it...

she shoulda thought of that before putting her hatred in writing w/the nursing home.

[FrenchieCat]

2. I feel good that the ruling came down as it did.

And I'm glad that Ms. Chaney got herself an attorney and took the matter to court. It is because of her actions that racism will not allow old racists suffering from demensia will cause no harm to others as well as to themselves.

[Warpy]

4. I'm shocked she was permitted to do that

I've been in and out of health care since the mid 60s and even in the south, the workforce was fully integrated. In fact, my first boss was a black RN. Bigots just had to suck it up unless they didn't want to be left lying in their own waste.

It's hard to wrap my head around the fact that this is going on 45 years later.

[FrenchieCat]

3. Kick for Brenda Chaney, who is the hero in all of this......

as she had the presence of mind to take this case to court,
and in so doing, put down a dumbass racist law.

She made a real difference. :applause:

[Wilber_Stool]

5. She's a woman with much

more character than myself. If it had been me, I would have stood over the woman and laughed at her.

[Raineyb]

6. How the hell does this have a below one rating? Outrageous!

I guess the closet bigots are out in force.