Hospital responds to nurse caught at crowded bar
Wisconsin bars were packed with people almost immediately after the state's supreme court struck down the governor's stay-at-home order on Wednesday. Videos from several bars showed patrons enjoying a night out after more than a month of isolation — even though being in a crowded public place means risking exposure to the coronavirus. In one video, taken by a local TV station, a nurse is seen sitting with other people at a bar without a face mask on.
That nurse, Katie Koutsky, shared her name and profession when the news crew began filming her. "I have a toddler at home and I'm a full-time nurse. It's been very stressful and hard to go out and be with my friends and family at the bars," Koutsky told the news crew at Limanski's Pub in West Allis, which reopened on Thursday, WGN reports.
Video: People Flock to Wisconsin Bars After Stay-At-Home Order Struck Down
When asked if she was worried, Koutsky said, "I don't think the risk presents any higher than going to a grocery store."
Nurse Katie Koutsky openely shared her name and profession when the news crew began filming her at a crowded bar on Thursday night. TMJ/WGN
After the video of patrons disregarding social distancing guidelines gained widespread attention, Koutsky's employer, Advocate Aurora Health, responded to her presence at the bar.
The incident was brought up during a virtual town hall meeting for Advocate Aurora Health on Thursday night, reports WGN, a sister station of CBS affiliate WFRV.
Advocate Aurora Health chief nursing officer Mary Beth Kingston said all employees are screened before their shifts and the hospital takes steps to ensure that they follow appropriate safety measures on the job, according to WGN. "We've also been working with education with our team members for what they can do to be safe once they leave our hospital walls and certainly we'll be following up with individual nurses as needed," Kingston said.
Asked by CBS News about the video of the nurse at the bar without a mask, Advocate Aurora Health said it was "disappointed" given the "ongoing education and safety measures we are fully committed to."
"As businesses begin to reopen, it's important we all to continue to practice safety measures that have been effective in stemming the spread including social distancing, thorough hand washing, staying at home when sick and wearing masks in public in accordance with local government guidance," the statement continues.
WGN says it reached out to Koutsky by phone and spoke to her husband, who said she had no comment on the story.
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