Hospital workers in Chicago reportedly fired for accessing Jussie Smollett’s records
A nurse denies that she deliberately violated hospital policy by accessing the actor's records along with dozens of others and is appealing her termination
The Jussie Smollett attack case has been the source of debate and confusion for weeks. Now, it appears that some employees at the Chicago area hospital where he was admitted the night of the alleged hate crime may have let their curiosity get the best of them.
According to CBS Chicago, sources say dozens of workers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital have been terminated for “improperly reviewing the medical records” of the Empire actor, just so they could sneak a peak at his medical chart.
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One nurse, who preferred to remain unnamed, claims it was a misunderstanding, and denies ever accessing Smollett’s chart. However, she did concede that she and many other nurses and hospital employees were fired last week due to allegations of misconduct concerning Smollett’s confidential information.
The nurse claims she that at the end of her shift last Tuesday, she was called in by her employers and unceremoniously terminated on the spot, then escorted out of the building, without ever being provided an opportunity to defend herself.
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She maintains that she never accessed the actor’s chart directly, but did innocently scroll past his name while looking for another patient’s name. She’s appealing her dismissal and is speaking out because she fears others may have been overzealously fired over the same misunderstanding.
When the station contacted hospital officials for comment on the multiple terminations, a spokesman said company policy prevents him from commenting on the employment status of any of their employees.
Smollett was admitted to Northwestern on Jan. 29, and at the time claimed he was attacked by two assailants who yelled racial and homophobic slurs at him. He has since been charged with staging the whole incident in what police believe was a “publicity stunt” to get a higher salary from for his role on the FOX Network show.
The actor continues to maintain that he is innocent.
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