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Highlands Today

Jail Nurse Cleared Of Racism Accusation

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By Joe  Seelig | Highlands Today

Published: November 5, 2007

SEBRING — After an internal investigation by Sheriff's Lt. Gus Garcia, a registered nurse in the Highlands County Jail was cleared of an allegation of racism toward a Hispanic coworker.

The conclusion: "Basically, she was rude to almost everybody," said Garcia, internal affairs officer. "She even admitted herself that she can be rude."

According to the investigation, registered nurse Dorothy Reed, a mental health coordinator, was accused by coworker Edna Rosario-Girona of racial bias and rudeness.

On Sept. 26, Rosario-Girona complained to Sheriff's Detention Cmdr. Maj. David Paeplow that Reed was disrespectful and rude to her because she was Hispanic.

Reed is a supervisor in the detention bureau medical staff. Rosario-Girona is an LPN and member of the medical staff.

On Sept. 29, an internal investigation was ordered during which Garcia reviewed the facts and circumstances surrounding the allegation against Reed. Reed was notified of the investigation on Oct. 1.

Rosario-Girona told Garcia that Reed spoke to her in a tone of voice she found demeaning and that she felt harassed and less than human in the way Reed spoke to her.

Rosario-Girona said that the incidents in which she felt mistreated, Reed always made sure no one else was around. However, she named other personnel who told her they were treated the same way by Reed.

When interviewed, one nursing staff member told Garcia that Reed had a "strong" personality and that she "is that way with everyone."

She told Garcia that she felt the problem between Rosario-Girona and Reed was due to a lack of training. Rosario-Girona had been out of nursing for some time and said, "They should have known that she would need more training than usual before she could be left on her own."

Head of nursing, Linda Travers, reportedly told Garcia that while Rosario-Girona had a good attitude, she was getting ready to terminate Rosario-Girona because she felt no further training was going to help, that she had been out of nursing too long and lacked the critical thinking skills necessary to do the job.

Travers told Garcia that Rosario-Girona had complained to her that Reed was "harsh" and that Rosario-Girona was afraid of her. However, she said Rosario-Girona had never complained that she was mistreated because she was Hispanic.

Another staff member told Garcia that Rosario-Girona had complained to her that Reed yelled and was rude to her. However, she also said Rosario-Girona had never mentioned that she thought it was because she was Hispanic.

This staff member also said that Reed was "rude, nasty and loud" with her and that Reed was that way with everyone, the report stated. Everyone learns that this is the way she is, the staff member reportedly told Garcia.

On Oct. 9, Garcia interviewed Reed, who told him she has been rude sometimes with Rosario-Girona because she got frustrated having to explain the same work procedures over several times.

However, Reed denied being rude to Rosario-Girona because she is Hispanic or having any racial motivation in her appraisal of Rosario-Girona's work performance.

Garcia concluded, "In essence, she is rude with coworkers irrespective of their ethnicity. Based on interviews, it is well known that Reed may not have the best supervisory skills and may lack patience in training other members; as a result by her own admission, she resorts to being rude. There is no evidence to suggest that Reed was rude exclusively with Rosario-Girona."

Paeplow said Friday both he and Travers have verbally counseled Reed regarding her behavior in regard to the values of professionalism, integrity and quality service.

Rosario-Girona tendered her resignation without explanation effective Sunday, Nov. 4, according to the sheriff's human resources office.

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