Judge Rules Hospital Was Within Its Rights to Fire Nurses Who Gave Each Other IV Fluids

A federal labor judge has ruled that Johns Hopkins Medical Associates acted legally when it fired two registered nurses who gave each other intravenous fluids during a break, rejecting the nurses’ claim that they were actually dismissed for speaking out about workplace conditions.

The case dates back to 2023, when nurses Ashley Garcia and Chantal Lightsy were terminated after hospital officials learned they had administered IV fluids to one another without a physician’s order while working at an outpatient surgery center in Lutherville, Maryland. Hospital administrators argued the incident violated clinical policies and represented an unauthorized medical procedure.

The nurses, however, insisted the IV incident was merely an excuse. They claimed the real reason for their dismissal was that they had repeatedly complained about understaffing, supply shortages, and mandatory overtime—activities protected under federal labor law. Their attorneys argued the IV practice had been commonplace among staff for years and had never previously resulted in discipline.

After reviewing the evidence, National Labor Relations Board Administrative Law Judge Arthur J. Amchan concluded that although the nurses had engaged in legally protected workplace discussions, the hospital successfully demonstrated that the unauthorized IV incident—not the complaints—was the actual reason for their termination.

The ruling does not necessarily end the dispute. Because it was issued by an administrative law judge rather than the full National Labor Relations Board, the decision can still be appealed for further review.

The case has sparked debate within the nursing community, with some arguing that experienced nurses frequently practice IV insertion techniques on one another in educational settings. Others contend that actually administering IV fluids without a documented medical order crosses a professional line and exposes both employees and hospitals to unnecessary legal and licensing risks.