Eiland v. San Jacinto Methodist Hosp. (Summary)

ADEA

Eiland v. San Jacinto Methodist Hosp., No. 4:12-CV-00192 (S.D. Tex. Aug. 20, 2013)

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas granted a hospital’s motion for summary judgment in a suit brought by a formerly employed nurse, asserting a claim under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”).

The hospital terminated the nurse’s employment because of a “lengthy disciplinary record…for poor performance and being rude to patients.”  The hospital disciplined the nurse during her employment for, among other things, failing to remove an IV before a patient left the emergency room and failing to administer a medication prescribed by a physician for a life-threatening condition.  The hospital filed a motion to dismiss the nurse’s ADEA claim.  The court granted the motion.  In doing so, the court determined that the hospital had offered a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason for terminating the nurse (the nurse’s lengthy disciplinary record) and the hospital’s proffered reason for termination was not a pretext for age discrimination.