Several healthcare workers at Sansum Clinic have been fired after a TikTok video went viral showing staff seemingly mocking bodily fluid stains on exam tables. The video, captioned “Guess the substance,” sparked outrage across social media before being deleted.
NEW: California urgent care workers fired after TikTok shows them posing with patients’ bodily fluids on exam tables
Sutter Health, which oversees Sansum Clinic, said the video was posted over Labor Day weekend by a former employee who left the organization in late July
TikTok… pic.twitter.com/44D4FmILuN
— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) September 4, 2025
Viral TikTok Sparks Backlash
The video, first shared over the weekend, showed employees smiling and posing next to stains on exam tables, which appeared to be bodily fluids left by patients.
- In one clip, a worker gives a thumbs-up beside a stain with the caption “yes!”
- Another employee poses next to a wet spot with the words, “And we love them so much.”
- Additional captions described the so-called “gifts” as coming in “all shapes and sizes” and “all shades and opacities.”
- The final image showed a group of staff gathered around a stained exam table with the caption, “Make sure to leave your healthcare workers sweet gifts like these!”
Screenshots and recordings of the now-deleted video continued to circulate widely online, drawing criticism on Reddit’s r/Santabarbara page, where users called the incident “beyond unprofessional” and “unethical.”
Sansum Clinic and Sutter Health Respond
Sutter Health, which manages Sansum Clinic, released a statement confirming that the workers were terminated:
“This unacceptable behavior is an outright violation of our policies, shows a lack of respect for our patients and will not be tolerated,” Sutter Health said.
The healthcare network also clarified to KTLA that the individual who posted the video had not worked at the facility for two months, though several current employees appeared in the clips.
Community Reaction
The controversy has triggered widespread backlash, with many questioning the professionalism of the staff involved. Social media users and local residents condemned the video as disrespectful and damaging to patient trust.
Despite the video’s deletion, the Sansum Clinic TikTok controversy continues to gain attention as discussions about professionalism and patient respect dominate online forums.
