Nurse Says She Was Fired After Supporting LGBTQ+ Coworker’s Harassment Complaint

A registered nurse has filed a federal lawsuit claiming she was fired after supporting a coworker who reported homophobic harassment at Select Specialty Hospital – Pittsburgh/UPMC.

Patrianne Stevenson, RN, filed the complaint on December 10, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The lawsuit alleges retaliation and disparate treatment discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Who Is Patrianne Stevenson?

In her complaint, Stevenson says she began working as a registered nurse for Select Employment Services and Select Specialty Hospital – Pittsburgh/UPMC on or about August 14, 2024, at the Select Specialty Hospital unit on the 8th floor of UPMC Montefiore Hospital in Pittsburgh. According to the complaint, she earned $40.90 per hour and performed her duties satisfactorily during her employment. 

Alleged Harassment and HR Complaint

According to the lawsuit, the events leading to Stevenson’s termination began on February 6, 2025, when she was approached by three coworkers, including a nurse identified as Connie, who was visibly upset and crying. Connie reported that another nurse, identified as Evan, had been making repeated homophobic remarks about her sexuality. 

The complaint alleges the coworker asked staff members if they “were gay” simply because they spent time with Connie, who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. The filing further states that “Evan’s homophobic conduct was known throughout the Facility, as he routinely made egregious comments about members of the LGBTQ+ community without consequence.”

Stevenson, who is also a member of the LGBTQ+ community, encouraged Connie to report the behavior to Human Resources. Stevenson also submitted her own written statement in support of the complaint, which led to an internal investigation. 

Retaliation Allegations

Stevenson alleges these changes were not random staffing decisions, but part of a retaliatory campaign after she supported the HR complaint.

The lawsuit alleges that shortly after the complaint was filed, Stevenson’s direct supervisor, a charge nurse identified as Macy, was reprimanded “for her failure to remedy Evan’s ongoing discriminatory conduct.” Stevenson claims that retaliation followed soon after. 

From February through April 2025, Stevenson alleges her patient assignments were altered so that she was consistently assigned high-acuity patients, including patients who were violent or required intensive care. According to the complaint, it was standard practice at the facility to rotate high-acuity assignments among staff, but that practice was allegedly not followed in her case. 

Stevenson claims coworkers noticed the pattern and commented on it, and that the assignments caused her significant physical and emotional stress. Colleagues allegedly asked, “why is she always giving the high acuity patients to you?” and “wow you must have pissed Macy off, you have another high acuity patient.”

Termination for “Appearance of Sleeping”

On April 2, 2025, Stevenson experienced what the lawsuit describes as a debilitating migraine during an overnight shift. She briefly placed her head on her desk to manage the pain and informed her supervisor. According to the complaint, she was directed to go home after completing a patient handoff. 

Two days later, Stevenson was informed that her employment was terminated. She was told the reason was “the appearance of sleeping.” 

The lawsuit alleges Stevenson was not given a verbal or written warning, despite progressive discipline being common practice at the hospital. It further claims that other nurses had been caught sleeping during shifts without being terminated or formally disciplined, including “Roy had been caught sleeping on the clock several times,” “Connie routinely puts her head down on her desk,” and “Diane regularly sleeps during her shift.”

When Stevenson questioned the decision, the complaint alleges the Human Resources director told her, “we received the report from Macy, it is all we needed” which the complaint cites as confirmation that “the termination was based solely on the retaliatory report from Macy.”

Legal Action

Stevenson filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in September 2025 and received a Notice of Right to Sue before bringing this case in federal court, where she seeks damages, back pay, front pay, attorneys’ fees, and a jury trial.​

Her complaint asserts Title VII retaliation and disparate treatment claims, alleging she was targeted for supporting a coworker’s homophobic harassment complaint, then punished through high‑acuity assignments and ultimately terminated, and that the stated reason of “the appearance of sleeping” was pretext for discrimination based on her sex and sexual orientation and her opposition to homophobic conduct at work.

The claims have not yet been adjudicated, and the defendants have not publicly responded.

Why This Matters for Nurses

Nurses are often encouraged to advocate for patients and coworkers, but cases like this highlight ongoing concerns about retaliation following discrimination complaints. 

Stevenson’s complaint underscores the importance of documentation, of understanding internal reporting structures, and of knowing that Title VII can protect not only those who personally experience discrimination, but also those who “encouraged and supported” a coworker in reporting discriminatory and homophobic conduct to HR.

The outcome of Stevenson’s lawsuit could have implications for how healthcare organizations handle workplace harassment reports and protect nurses who speak up.

Nurse.org will continue to update this article as the case proceeds through court.

🤔Nurses, what do you think about this lawsuit? Share your thoughts below.