Chiba hospital suspends three nurses over unauthorised videos of inpatients posted online
In short
Chiba Nishi General Hospital in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture, said female nurses had filmed inpatients and the hospital interior without permission during working hours and posted the videos on social media with captions such as "so bored". Three nurses involved in filming or viewing the videos were suspended from work from October 8, and the hospital had the videos deleted.
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Chiba Nishi General Hospital (千葉西総合病院) in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture, run by the medical corporation Tokushukai (徳洲会), said female nurses and others had filmed inpatients and the inside of the hospital without permission and posted the videos on social media, according to Sankei Shimbun, Nishi-Nippon Shimbun and Tokyo Shimbun. The hospital said three nurses involved in filming or viewing the videos have been suspended from work since October 8. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
According to the reports, the videos were shot during working hours. They included footage of inpatients lying in bed, recorded without their permission, and selfies taken inside the hospital, with captions such as "maji hima" ("so bored") and "tsumannee" ("boring"). The hospital said filming inside the hospital is in principle prohibited. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The matter came to light after the hospital was contacted by an outside party at about 3 p.m. on October 8, Sankei Shimbun and Tokyo Shimbun reported. Questioned by the hospital, the three nurses said, in effect, that they had uploaded the videos only among themselves and had not released them outside. The hospital had the videos deleted. [ 3 , 5 ]
Sankei Shimbun reported that the hospital will announce measures to prevent a recurrence once the facts have been confirmed. Hospital director Kazuo Misumi (三角和雄) said in a comment on the hospital's official website that the hospital would do its utmost to sincerely apologise to and respond to the patients whose privacy had been violated. [ 3 ]
Livedoor News also carried headlines on the case, one reporting that the hospital had apologised after staff posted video showing patients on social media. [ 1 , 2 , 6 ]
Why it matters
The hospital director said patients' privacy had been violated and pledged to apologise and respond to them, and the hospital plans to publish measures to prevent a recurrence, Sankei Shimbun reported. The case was reported by several Japanese newspapers and news sites.
Key facts
- Female nurses and others at Chiba Nishi General Hospital (千葉西総合病院) filmed inpatients and the inside of the hospital without permission and posted the videos on social media. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The hospital, in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture, is run by the medical corporation Tokushukai (徳洲会). [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Three nurses involved in filming or viewing the videos have been suspended from work since October 8. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Filming inside the hospital is in principle prohibited, the hospital said. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The videos were shot during working hours and carried captions such as "maji hima" ("so bored") and "tsumannee" ("boring"). [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The case came to light after an outside party contacted the hospital at about 3 p.m. on October 8; the hospital had the videos deleted. [ 3 , 5 ]
- Hospital director Kazuo Misumi (三角和雄) apologised to patients whose privacy was violated in a comment on the hospital's website. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- What measures the hospital will take to prevent a recurrence. Sankei Shimbun reported the hospital will publish them once the facts are confirmed; they have not been announced.
- How many patients appeared in the videos and which social media service was used. The documents do not say.
- How the outside party that contacted the hospital learned of the videos. The documents do not say; the nurses said the videos were shared only among themselves.
- Three nurses involved in filming or viewing the videos have been suspended from work since October 8. Reported by a single source so far
- Filming inside the hospital is in principle prohibited. Reported by a single source so far
- The videos were shot during working hours and included captions such as "maji hima" and "tsumannee". Reported by a single source so far
- The case came to light after an outside party contacted the hospital at about 3 p.m. on October 8. Reported by a single source so far
- The three nurses said they had uploaded the videos only among themselves and had not released them outside; the hospital had the videos deleted. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- October 8: an outside party contacts the hospital about the videos, bringing the case to light. [ 3 , 5 ]
- October 9: Livedoor News reports the hospital's announcement that nurses photographed inpatients without permission and posted the images online. [ 1 ]
- October 9: Sankei Shimbun reports the suspensions and the director's apology. [ 3 ]
- October 9: Nishi-Nippon Shimbun and Tokyo Shimbun report the case. [ 4 , 5 ]
- October 9: Livedoor News reports that the hospital apologised after staff posted video showing patients on social media. [ 6 ]