Oregon Nurse Ashley Grames Flouts COVID-19 Restrictions in TikTok Video

Ashley Kay Grames is the Oregon nurse who had been under investigation after bragging about defying coronavirus safety guidelines in a video posted to TikTok.

As of December 7, Grames was no longer working with Salem Hospital, according to Buzzfeed. A spokesperson for the hospital told the outlet Grames was no longer an employee but did not clarify whether she had been fired or whether she quit.

Grames’ video and her TikTok profile have both been deleted from the platform. But the clip was saved by other users and has been reshared.

Here’s what you need to know:

Grames Suggested Coworkers Viewed Her as the ‘Grinch’ When They Learned She Doesn’t Wear a Mask Outside of Work

Grames used the name @Loveiskind05 on TikTok but has either suspended or deleted her account. Another user, @amandabutcher2, reshared Grames’ clip as a “duet” with her own commentary. This version has been “liked” more than 265,000 times.

In the clip, Grames was wearing her hospital scrubs and had a stethoscope draped around her neck. The caption on the screen reads, “When my coworkers find out I still travel, don’t wear a mask when I’m out and let my kids have play dates.”

The audio in the TikTok video is from the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Grames lip-synched to the scene in which the Grinch reveals himself to Cindy Lou Who, seeming to compare herself to the Grinch. The audio includes a few seconds of Cindy Lou Who’s character screaming in fear while the Grinch mockingly yells in response.

@amandabutcher2 placed herself side-by-side with Grames in the reshared clip. She added wording to the screen that reads, “Imagine being an oncology nurse during a pandemic and bragging about not taking precautions.” Butcher also wrote in the description, “To each their own, but why would you brag about it to others? 🤦🏻‍♀️ I guess we could ask Loveiskind05.”

Grames Has Agreed to Temporarily Stop Practicing Medicine, According to the Oregon State Board of Nursing

Oregon State Board of NursingAshley Grames agreed to cease practicing medicine.

According to the Oregon State Board of Nursing, Grames has been working in the health care field for at least a decade. Online records show Grames became a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in October 2010.

As of July 2015, she had become a Registered Nurse (RN). Her current license was scheduled to expire in May 2021.

Grames has agreed to stop practicing medicine for the time being. Her official record shows that an “Interim Consent Order” went into effect as of December 8. The State Board of Nursing explains that this order is “not considered discipline. They are binding documents signed voluntarily by the licensee in which the licensee agrees to cease practice (or a portion of his/her practice) until further Order by the Board. It remains in effect until the Board votes to vacate the Order and allow the nurse/nursing assistant to practice again.”

The reshared TikTok video identified Grames as an oncology nurse. However, her Board of Nursing profile does not list her specialty. The statement from Salem Health referred to her only as a nurse and did not provide her department, either.

Grames’ Video Prompted Outrage & Calls for Her to be Fired

Oregon, like most of the country, has been experiencing a sharp uptick in the number of patients testing positive for the coronavirus. The governor ordered a “two-week freeze” that began on November 18 and was scheduled to end on December 2. During those two weeks, people statewide were asked to limit gatherings to six people, restaurants were restricted to carryout and delivery only and gyms and other recreational facilities were closed. Grocery stores and other retail establishments had to limit capacity and indoor visits to long-term health care facilities were prohibited.

More than 900 people have died from the coronavirus in the state, according to the Oregon Health Authority. As of November 29, nearly 75,000 people had tested positive for COVID-19. In a statement, the organization urged community members to “honor” the families of those who had lost loved ones to the virus by “redoubling our efforts to protect one another.” The OHA continues to urge people to wear a mask, stay six feet away from others and to limit social gatherings.

Grames’ apparent flouting of these regulations in the TikTok video has some commenters calling for her termination. Salem Health addressed the community’s concerns in a statement posted on Facebook on November 28: A nurse employed with Salem Health posted a video on social media which displayed cavalier disregard for the seriousness of this pandemic and her indifference towards physical distancing and masking outside of work. This video has prompted an outcry from concerned community members. We want to thank those of you who brought this to our attention and assure you that we are taking this very seriously. This individual does not speak for Salem Health and has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.”

Salem Health reiterated: “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. Salem Health believes we all need to do our part to protect the vulnerable and stop the rapid spread of COVID-19. This includes requiring staff, patients and visitors to follow guidance from the CDC and others about mask wearing and social distancing. The COVID pandemic is serious and requires a serious response. And at Salem Health we are very serious about our approach to COVID.”

Salem Health allowed comments on the Facebook post. Many people remarked that an investigation seemed unnecessary since she openly admitted she did not abide by health safety regulations outside of work. Others expressed dismay that she could have put her patients at risk and that she owed her patients an apology.

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