TikTok Livestreams on Workplace Time Spur Investigation at Klinikum Oldenburg
A healthcare worker at Klinikum Oldenburg allegedly broadcasted live on TikTok multiple times from a palliative care unit during working hours, prompting an internal investigation, employment termination, and a police referral, ndr.de reported. The employee streamed to viewers for hours while on duty, engaging with audiences and encouraging the donation of virtual gifts that can be converted into money.
Internal Lists Reveal Extensive Streaming Activity
While hospital administrators initially treated the incident as an isolated occurrence, subsequent reviews revealed a much wider pattern of behavior. According to ndr.de, an examination of streaming logs from the employee’s profile uncovered a list of broadcasting times suggesting the worker may have gone live more than a dozen times while on shift. The unauthorized broadcasts were initially uncovered by Essen-based YouTuber Kevin Hartwig, a content creator with over 320,000 subscribers who focuses on uncovering institutional shortcomings within the nursing sector.
Hartwig stated that he has identified more than 50 similar social media broadcasting cases across hospitals and elderly care facilities. In the Oldenburg instance, recorded footage showed the employee handling phone calls regarding a colleague’s sick leave and preparing medications while visibly distracted. Hartwig subsequently filed a formal criminal complaint with law enforcement authorities regarding the broadcasts.
Employment Termination and Legal Ramifications
Klinikum Oldenburg spokeswoman Maxi Krahl stated that the employee no longer works for the institution following the discovery of the broadcasts. The hospital maintains a strict social media policy covering data protection, patient privacy, workplace safety, and professional conduct—rules that clinic management determined were entirely breached during the streams. Krahl emphasized that palliative care units require an environment of absolute trust, quiet, dignity, and security for seriously ill patients.
Bremen-based labor lawyer Tim Varlemann noted that while workplace guidelines clarify boundaries, the fundamental legal framework already prohibits unauthorized personal activities during working hours. Varlemann explained that employees are entirely bound by employer directives during paid time, making social media usage a strictly private matter unless explicitly authorized. Beyond potential wage fraud issues, legal experts warn that filming vulnerable patients without consent severely violates personal privacy rights and data protection laws.
Police Referrals and Ongoing Legal Review
Law enforcement officials confirmed to ndr.de that the case file regarding the Klinikum Oldenburg broadcasts has been transferred to the public prosecutor’s office for legal evaluation. Because live streams cannot be edited or retroactively censored, legal analysts point out that broadcasting from medical wards creates acute risks for patient confidentiality. The former employee has not responded to multiple requests for comment from media outlets.
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