RN sues CAMC for racial discrimination

CHARLESTON -- A registered nurse is suing Charleston Area Medical Center after she claims she was discriminated against because of her race.

Traci A. Long was employed by the defendant as a registered nurse in the in-patient behavioral health ward and was the only African American registered nurse on the Behavioral Medicine floor, according to a complaint filed May 9 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Long claims she met with Mike Williams, the vice president of the hospital to report discriminatory acts against her.

Williams first suggested that maybe Long should transfer to a different floor and then referred her to Christie Schneider in the legal department, according to the suit.

Long claims when she met with Schneider she explained that Bobby Woodrow, the former nurse manager and current staff nurse "referred to black patients as a 'nigger' in meetings," and that the charge nurse, Valerie Meadows told everyone that Long was "pulling the race card."

Long is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is being represented by J. Michael Ranson, Cynthia M. Ranson and George B. Morrone III.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge James C. Stucky.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 11-C-755