Nurse sues hospital over alleged racism

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FLINT, Mich., Feb. 16 (UPI) -- A nurse is suing a Michigan hospital for allegedly complying with a man's request that no African-Americans be involved in his baby's care.

Tonya Battle, an African-American woman who worked as a nurse at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, has accused the hospital of removing her from a case based on the color of her skin, CNN reported Saturday.

According to the complaint filed in January by Battle's attorney, the man spoke to Battle's supervisor and told her that he didn't want African-Americans involved in his baby's care. Battle was caring for his child in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit.

The request was eventually approved by the hospital and a note was put on its the baby's medical chart, according to the suit: "Please, no African-American nurses to care for ... baby per dad's request."

Battle's attorney Julie Gafkay said her client "was very upset. She was very offended."

Hospital lawyers later objected to the decision and the note was removed after about a month. Staff told the father that they could no long honor his request, the complaint said.