Nursing Student Dismissed for Refusal to Lie about Vaccines Has Case Continue in Court
by Admin - Orissa
Nichole Rolfe, formerly Nichole Bruff, was a nursing student at Baker College in Michigan who dreamt of being a nurse practitioner of midwifery before the nursing department's director dismissed her--shortly before she was to graduate--after Rolfe questioned instructors who were teaching students to lie to patient's in order to coerce them into getting vaccinated.
Health Impact News Editor Comments
In April of 2015, we reported here at
Health Impact News that nursing student Nichole Rolfe, formerly Nichole
Bruff, was dismissed from her nursing program shortly before graduation
after she allegedly refused to commit fraud by lying to patients in
order to coerce vaccine compliance, as directed by her instructors.
Nichole fought back with a lawsuit against Baker College.
See:
Student Who Refused to Lie About Vaccines and was Kicked out of Nursing School Fights Back with Lawsuit
Baker
College requested the case be dismissed, but Judge Joseph Farah denied
the motion, and Nichole's case will now be heard before a Genesee County
jury. The case is set for trial in summer 2016. Nichole's attorney,
Philip L. Ellison, has issued the following Press Release.
PRESS RELEASE: JUDGE DENIES BAKER COLLEGE'S DISMISSAL REQUEST IN VACCINE CASE
Flint,
MI - The Genesee County Circuit Court has denied the request of Baker
College to dismiss or other highly restrict the lawsuit brought by a
former nursing student who claims she was wrongly dismissed from the
nursing program at Baker's Owosso campus due to discussions involving
vaccines.
Nursing Students Instructed to Lie to Patients in Order to Get them Vaccinated
Nichole
Rolfe is suing Baker College after she was dismissed from the school's
nursing program because she questioned when Baker College instructed
students to misrepresent and lie to patients in order to get them
vaccinated.
The
case stems from two separate classes held in 2013 by two different
instructors who, within days of each other, instructed students who were
in the midst of clinicals with real patients to threaten and panic
patients into accepting immunizations. Threats included the withholding
of state medical assistance payments, denial of access to newborns, and
the giving of false information.
Michigan Law Protects Patients' Right to Informed Consent
Under Michigan law, patients have the right to choose—and reject—any and all medical treatments offered by hospitals.
During
depositions, the Baker College instructors deny these instructions were
given. Others in the room at the time have testified, under oath, such
directives were taught.
Rolfe,
a student who has paid Baker College more than $40,000 in tuition and
fees, merely asked both instructors, how can nurses do that?
In
the days following, the nursing department's director decided to
dismiss Rolfe at an impromptu meeting right before a scheduled class.
Rolfe,
in court documents, claims her dismissal was for simply questioning the
illegal directions to the nursing students. Baker College argues her
dismissal was for the "oppositional" and "aggressive" way Rolfe's
questions were asked.
"Nurses Need to Obey the Patient's Directives, Not Threaten or Lie"
After
pre-trial evidence exchanges, Baker College requested the Court to
dismiss the case citing that Rolfe's evidence, being audio-recordings of
meetings with administrators while at Baker College, violated Baker
College's audio-recording policies. Baker College also sought to limit
the amount of damages claimed by Rolfe.
In
an oral decision from the bench, Judge Joseph Farah denied the motions
concluding that none of the arguments warrant dismissal or the placing
of limitations on the case. The decision now permits the case to go
before a Genesee County jury.
"The Circuit Court's decision permits jurors to actually hear what Baker College actually did and what their instructors are teaching future Michigan nurses, the very nurses who will be caring for patients in their weakest physical condition," states Philip L. Ellison, attorney for Rolfe. "Nurses need to obey the patient's directives, not threaten or lie."
Also
at the hearing, Baker College additionally sought to preclude the
release of certain emails between the nursing department's director and
an instructor about the case, and to prevent the last deposition of a
key witness, another former nursing student. The judge denied both of
Baker's requests.
The case is slated to head to trial in summer 2016.
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