Two Navy hospital corpsmen at the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville have been removed from their jobs after pictures and videos surfaced of them inappropriately handling newborns.
Navy Surgeon General Chief C. Forrest Faison III has ordered a stand down for all Navy medical personnel for the next 48 hours to reassess service commitments to patients and social media policies, reports the Washington Post.
The stand downs will occur staggered over the next two days to ensure no impact on patient care.
“I have directed immediate mandatory all-hands stand downs within 48 hours at all Navy Medicine commands to review our oaths, our pledges, our reasons for serving, as well as Navy Medicine’s policy regarding use of personally owned phones and other recording devices,” says Faison.
A video posted to Snapchat shows a female corpsman holding a newborn by the armpits, moving the baby to rap music being played in the background. The video was removed from Snapchat but a screenshot was shared on another users’ Facebook page, which was subsequently shared over 300,000 times in less than 24 hours, according to CBS News.
“A girl I went to high school with is a navy nurse and this is how her and her…friend treat the babies that have just been born,” reads the woman’s post. “My blood is literally boiling.”
Another image shows one of the corpsmen gesturing the middle finger at a newborn. The caption read, “How I currently feel about these mini Satans.”
“I’m livid and I’m snitching [because] she should get fired from her job,” continued the woman’s post.
Hospital staff has also been instructed by Faison to contact all current and expectant mothers to inform them of the steps being taken to address the problem.
“In an age where information can be shared instantly, what we say and post online must reflect the highest standards of character and conduct, in both our personal and professional lives,” says Faison. “As healthcare professionals, we are entrusted with the lives and well-being of all those who have volunteered to defend our freedom, including their families. We owe them the best care and compassion our nation can offer.”
Corpsmen are enlisted Navy personnel who provide assistance to medical care professionals and also serve as combat medics when working with Marine infantry units, according to ABC News.
