A federal jury in Colorado awarded a Black nurse $20 million this week after determining HCA HealthOne Aurora fired her because she had complained about the racial discrimination she faced on the job.

DonQuenick Joppy alleged the hospital, then known as Medical Center of Aurora, wrongfully blamed her for a patient’s death from natural causes in 2019 as an excuse to fire her after she complained about mistreatment from white coworkers .

The patient, a 94-year-old man who was experiencing organ failure because of an infection, died after his family agreed to turn off his ventilator. Joppy, who had stayed past the end of her shift in the intensive care unit, followed directions from a respiratory therapist to switch off the ventilator, according to her 2022 lawsuit.

The Colorado Attorney

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