It was a little bit of time Amie McDaniel had set aside for some self-care.
McDaniel said she was scheduled for a massage Wednesday at Elements Massage Queen Creek, using a credit her husband had.
“We care for everybody, I guess I just expect others to do the same,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel, who’s a pediatric nurse, said she filled out an intake form at the studio and then was taken back to the room by a massage therapist.
She said the massage therapist noticed she was a nurse from her intake paperwork and asked her about her job.
“He said, ‘So you’ve taken care of COVID patients?' and I said, ‘Yes I have,' and he just basically looked at me and said, ‘I’m sorry I’m not gonna be comfortable giving you your massage,'” McDaniel said.
McDaniel said the massage therapist went to speak with the Elements Massage manager, who informed McDaniel that her appointment would be rescheduled.
McDaniel has been fully vaccinated since early March and said she had COVID before that.
She said she also wears the proper gear when taking care of patients who are sick with the virus.
“I don’t feel that I am a risk any more than anybody else,” McDaniel said. “Because at this point, we are all exposed to people with COVID whether you know it or not. I just happen to know it.”
McDaniel said she followed up with the manager of the Elements Massage location over the phone, who told McDaniel that therapists can refuse clients if they choose to.
“I 100% understand if you go in there and you’re acting inappropriate, or you’re visibly sick, but, you know neither of that was the case,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel said the owner of the location also contacted her and apologized, offering to reschedule her appointment.
In a statement to 12 News, Elements Massage Queen Creek said McDaniel ‘deserved’ an apology.
“We are sorry we did not provide this guest with the level of respect and empathy she deserved. We've reached out to her and her family to apologize and have offered to reschedule her massage at another Elements Massage location,” The statement said.
The statement went on to say that they’ll use the situation ‘focus on training’ so it doesn’t happen to someone else.
“The Elements Massage brand has the utmost respect for all healthcare workers and first responders. We are grateful for all they’ve done and will continue to do to help our communities through this pandemic and they are more than welcome in our studio,” The statement said.
“If they’re going to continue to allow the therapist to do it [refuse service] then they just really need to make accommodations,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel said she does not plan to take Elements up on the offer to reschedule her massage.
However, she is concerned other healthcare workers are dealing with this kind of treatment at other places of business too.
“It’s unfair and just needs to stop,” McDaniel said.
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