UTMB terminated the contract of a nurse after investigating a viral video that appeared to show her avoiding patients watching Fox News.
The university said the employee's conduct was inconsistent with its commitment to providing compassionate, unbiased care.
Nursing ethics require healthcare professionals to deliver treatment without discrimination based on patients' political views or personal beliefs.
A contract nurse at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) has been fired after a viral social media video drew criticism over perceived political bias in patient care. The nurse, identified online as "Nurse Ahlam," appeared to joke about avoiding patients watching Fox News, prompting renewed debate over professional ethics and public trust in healthcare.
In a statement posted on X, UTMB said it "immediately launched an investigation" after learning of the posts. The university initially suspended the contract employee's access to work at all UTMB facilities during the investigation before terminating the employee's contract later that evening. UTMB stated that the conduct was inconsistent with its commitment to providing compassionate, unbiased care to every patient.
The controversy began after the contract nurse posted a short video showing herself backing out of what appeared to be a patient's room. The clip was captioned, "When I walk into my patient's room and Fox News is blasting," while Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You played in the background.
The video gained widespread attention after an approximately eight-second clip was reposted on X by the account Libs of TikTok, leading to hundreds of thousands of views and broader circulation across social media platforms.
The video quickly spread across social media, with many users arguing that it suggested patients might receive different treatment based on their political beliefs.
Although the video was widely interpreted as implying that the nurse would avoid treating patients watching Fox News, no public evidence has been presented that any patient was actually denied care.
The controversy centered on the implications of the social media post rather than documented evidence that patient care had been withheld.
UTMB said it learned of the social media posts on Thursday afternoon, immediately launched an investigation, suspended the contract employee's access to all UTMB facilities, and terminated the nurse's contract later that evening, stating that the conduct was "inconsistent with our values and our commitment to delivering compassionate, unbiased care to every patient."
The nurse's social media account was later set to private, although copies of the video continued circulating online.
Healthcare professionals are ethically expected to provide care based on patient's medical needs rather than political beliefs, religion, race, or other personal characteristics. The American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics for Nurses states that nurses must practice "with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person," without discrimination.¹
The incident has renewed discussion about how healthcare workers' public conduct can influence patient confidence in the medical profession and reinforce the importance of impartial clinical care.
The incident has widened discussion about how healthcare organizations respond to employees' social media activity while safeguarding patient trust and professional standards.
Although many social media users supported UTMB's decision to terminate the contract employee, others urged the university to consider additional accountability measures, including notifying the Texas Board of Nursing and reviewing its hiring practices. Some posts also targeted the nurse's religion, prompting others to caution against using one individual's actions to stereotype an entire faith community.
The case has also prompted wider discussion online about the responsibilities healthcare professionals carry both inside and outside the workplace, and how public conduct can influence confidence in equitable, patient-centered care.
References:
1. American Nurses Association. Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements. Silver Spring, MD: American Nurses Association, 2025. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nursing-excellence/ethics/code-of-ethics-for-nurses/.
(Rh/TP/MSM)