Groups of nurses from hospitals in London, Buckinghamshire, Leeds, and Wolverhampton have come up with dancing videos that they shared on TikTok in the hopes of lifting spirits as staff face low morale due to shortages in PPE which heightens the risk of catching the coronavirus from patients.
However, these nurses have come under fire from the families of cancer patients who experienced cancellations of their treatments and scans.
A few said the “offensive” videos are “making a mockery” of the Health Service although the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Trust made sure to add that “no patients were left uncared for in the making of the video.”
But there were those who were unimpressed, adding that people don’t go out to clap for NHS staff every Thursday as a show of support only for them to “prance around dancing.”
Others also criticized the workers for risking vital facemasks, aprons, and gloves as they danced around.
One person said on social media: “I’m seriously p***ed off seeing NHS staff dancing and fooling around. My brother is working 14-hour days in an ICU in London treating Covid-19 patients.
“My sister is still performing surgery and is separated from her son. Cancer patients are having treatment and scans canceled.
“I’ve seen it from several different hospitals, it’s so disrespectful when there are so many ill and dying. Imagine someone who has just lost a loved one seeing these dumb videos.”
Someone else commented: “I am not impressed by these endless showreels of nurses dancing about in hospital corridors. Either look after your patients or go and have a sit-down.”
Another user commented: “There are far too many of these dancing and prattling about clips of NHS staff.
“I was led to believe they are run off their feet and to think thousands maybe millions of people go out and clap for them.
“I’m sure they’re working hard, but the timing of dancing clips isn’t really now.”
However, a TikTok video by nurses in Leeds got many positive comments from people who encouraged them to “keep on dancing.”
One wrote: “Boris give them a pay rise,” while another added: “Absolutely brilliant human beings.”
But the staff at the Tavistock Day Case Theater in West Devon had to apologize after they performed a traditional Maori chant in their video.
The nurses are seen doing the native Maori chant Ka Mate while one of them was saying: “This is the message we wish to affirm, you’ll never beat us we hate you, you germ.
“Together we’ll triumph with the strength from within. Mankind will destroy you, mankind will win.”
But several commenters bashed the video, calling it “racist” and “blatant cultural abuse.”
In a statement, the NHS trust that manages the surgical unit said: “We want to offer a wholehearted apology to those we offended with a video we posted on Twitter at the weekend.
“The video was intended as a show of our commitment as Livewell Southwest nurses to continue to work hard and care for people as we fight Coronavirus. Upsetting anyone was the last thing we wanted to do.”
Replaced!