Not many Black/African American nurses working in the ICU's

LIZZYICU · Jul 3, 2012

I think it must, as others have said, be based on the region. It also is, for whatever reason, based on the hospital. I have worked at a MICU in north central Florida, an ICU in South Carolina, and an ICU in north central florida. The SC ICU was roughly a 50/50 ratio of W:AA, with few other minorities. In fact, I cannot think of a single nurse off the top of my head that I worked with there that was not W/AA. In contrast, the MICU in north central Florida had only about 35% caucasian nurses. The other 65% there were Filipino, Indian, Asian, and African Americans. This particular group was very diverse. The ICU where I work now is close by the MICU I just described, but is mostly made up of caucasian nurses. I am unsure of exactly why there is this difference between 2 hospitals so close together, but it may be due to the travel company they relied on for so long. Many of the travel ICU nurses were hired on as permanent staff, and few of them appear to be of a minority group. Or it may be individual nursing preference... nurse minorities may not be applying to this hospital ICU, and opting for one that is already more diverse. It does not seem to be based in any racial bias... I do not observe minority groups being treated differently or singled out. In fact, hospital-wide the nurses here are fairly diverse. I'm a little baffled by it.

Quandrika · Jul 4, 2012

I mean as far as hiring and education boards. There are not that many African Americans in charge of hiring people so a lot of times it could be very bias, and along with education where the board members could easily discrimate based on names such as Tameka or even my name. My intent was not to offend anyone just to put forth experiences and situation that I have witnessed.

Chisca, RN · Jul 8, 2012

In the past certain immigrant groups founded hospitals that served their ethnic group. At the turn of the 19th century San Francisco had a German hospital, Chinese hospital, French hospital so maybe we should return to that model. We could have an African American hospital system that would be seperate but equal and only black nurses could work there. For us, by us, right?

snbonbon · Jul 20, 2012

I feel it is regional as well, in the area I reside in there are very few black rns in the units at our hospitals as well as very little that are pursuing a career as an rn to began with. I 've dealt with sterotypes and even blatant racism at the hands of my insturctors during lectures. However I have not and will not let any of this discuroarge me from pursing my dreams. I have maintained a 3.4 or better g.p.a through out the program and clincally I am very confident and absrob any information I receive. I work part time as a pca in the largest hospital in our area for the past 4 years and after i complete my rn this decemeber i will be either working in the NICU or PICU or in general peds. So basically what I am trying to say is we set our own limitations no one else If its your dream go for it!! p.s. I plan on attending an accelerated adn to msn program early next year.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jul 20, 2012

I don't know , you tell me.

I have worked on many units in many areas in the last 30 years.. never felt the need to discuss

race based ratios.

RNJHUPHL · Aug 2, 2012

As a new minority nurse who attended a fairly academically challenging nursing school in a predominately minority city, I found myself always in the race bias dilemma. I was in a class of 150 and maybe 6 AA, with a handful of asians who at my school are not considered minority since there were plenty and the rest white females. I live in the suburbs with my husband. I grew up in the city but also went to top notched schools where I was always the minority especially so since I was also an immigrant. There is no way I can walk into a room without someone trying to isolate me. In my life, I've learned to just be very outgoing and counterbalance the negativity with very positive energy.

The biggest difference I have noticed in recruiting minorities in ICUs is your connection. Everyone that I know who got a position in the ICU knew someone who worked there or worked as a nursing student/ tech/ extern. I applied for ICU positions left and right alongside my classmates who had no experience. I am energetic, passionate and in my previous life I was on the other side of the table once or twice doing the interviews so I was fairly confident in my interviewing abilities making sure not to come off as arrogant, rude, cocky or any of the negatives I did not like to see. Let's just say I became an extern on a urology floor med/surg. Nothing wrong with that but that was what I got. My preceptor for my med surg 2 rotation gave me glowing remarks because I worked well on a CCU floor and she was also a CCU nurse going for her Phd and commented how well I would do if I ever decided to do ICU. If only they would hire me!

When it comes down to it, I don't know why fewer minorities but here is what I think: a smaller network of people you know in which to branch out and choose ICU, less contact to when jobs or positions become available,many minority nurses are first generation anything, college, nurse, career etc... so they may not know any process , the overall decrease in access that is presented to minorities and just the lack of minority nurses all sums up to the reason why there aren't many in critical care units. P.S. I'm still looking to be hired as a minority in the ICU fyi.

Also, just so everyone is aware, I was very active in my school, president of a student group, active in alumni functions, speak several languages, worked while in school in the hospital, volunteered regularly, maintained a competitive average and was pursuing my second career so I am not unfamiliar to the interview process nor how I should conduct myself. I believe in humility and hardwork but sometimes things can not be explained especially when it was assumed that I was not a student while my classmates who worked on my unit were always given pardons because they were students. The difference? I was a different shade because you really can't tell that I'm older. At my age, it is no longer paranoia but a sad realization that this world is just that, the right and the wrong shade of color. I have just as well of a balance as my classmates some a little more and some less but we were all fairly competitive. At the end of the day, I'm still looking but most of my friends are not anymore.

RNJHUPHL · Aug 2, 2012

I agree with you there. I'm not sure where the other commentor was going with this but I have two scenarios to share with you.

1) I am a minority and s the former president of a student group, I made sure to have my best friend who is white as my vice president. I think she was exceptional for the job but I also let her know because it was a majority white school we would test my theory on several occasions about our groups budget. I attended the first meeting with the advisor, student gov ass committee, and treasurer who was a dark skinned african, I was told to revise my proposal and come back with a strong argument for the budget increase. I changed one sentence, came back with my VP, I spoke on both occasions but allowed my VP a nod and 1 sentence just as I did for the treasurer, we received what we asked for which was a $500 increase for a volunteer weekend.

2) Public health was when the tables were turned and being a minority was no longer the exception but the rule. I speak spanish and took an assignment with a spanish speaking community once again the only minority in a group of 8. I enjoyed the experience immensely because I actually felt comfortable for the first time and my classmates were the minority in each setting.

Race and ethnicity is what you make it but the truth is there is an inherent confidence exerted from someone of the same culture, race or group that does not cross its most often called ethnocentrism. It happens and its normal. The problem exists when people deny that it exists. I love it and I hate it but it exists.

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Aug 2, 2012

" the difference? i was a different shade because you really can't tell that i'm older. at my age, it is no longer paranoia but a sad realization that this world is just that, the right and the wrong shade of color. "

that makes me sad to hear. ridiculous in this day and age. it does not seem like that here in north texas to me, but i realize that may be because of my being white. there are several black nursing administrators here at our hospitals so hopefully change is coming.

Trauma Columnist · Jan 15, 2017

Staff note - a couple of recent posts have been deleted.

Wuzzie · Jan 15, 2017

Thank you!