Racism in the workplace

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Not to be a downer or anything but I have noticed some harsh things said about patients and sometimes even co workers in my unit when they think no one else can hear them. Has anyone else dealt with this?

Specializes in Critical Care.
"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed; ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'" “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. " - Dr. M L King Jr

What MLK is advocating is integration.

I'm reading a book about integration right now: 'Someone Else's House' by Tamar Jacoby.

Her argument is that MLK's vision of integration is truly dead. Nobody, not blacks, not whites, not politicians, nobody truly advocate for integration anymore.

We've settled for 'segregation by choice', which is little better then 'separate but equal'.

MLK is a relic of the past. Sadly, we've all moved on and left his dream behind. Name me one civil rights leader today that uses the word, integration, in his definition of the way things 'ought to be'.

I'm not saying that we aren't making improvements. But, the buzzword today is 'tolerance', not 'integration'.

~faith,

Timothy.

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I am black and I feel you... It REALLY bothers me when we use the race card because it really discredits us when we need to use it. Racism exists, some places.. and so does ignorance and rudeness.. I know rude blacks, whites, and the like.. just chalk it up as a rude "person" who tried to use what they knew best to get out of being called out for being loud.

I and other students, very politely, asked her to keep it down. Her response was: "Excuse me for being black." It had absolutely nothing to do with her being black, and us not being able to listen to and transcribe lecture tapes because of the noise.

It's like the boy who cried wolf. It does unfairly discredit the real cases of racism because, eventually, people don't listen anymore ... and that's a shame.

:typing

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
What would you do if you felt that you were not being granted an interview because your name was "foreign" or obviously insinuated a particular religion or race??
A somewhat recent study reveals that job applicants who have these so-called "black-sounding names" or ethnic names are less likely to be called back for interviews, even if their educational levels and resumes are high-quality.

'Black Names: A Resume Burden?'

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Unfortunately, Bala Shark, your statement is probably true.

i can hardly agree with racism and all discrimination, i am nursing student , even if i am black , i never faced disrimination in my entirer life

. no matter whether ur black or white , it will work , when we r behaving well,, culturing a habit of positive attittude towards life, ......

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

I am a white woman from the North of England, yet I have experienced 'racism' when I moved down to the South. A charge nurse from Maritus asked one of the CNA's in my ear shot 'Where is that Northern Monkey". How do you deal with that one.

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I am a white woman from the North of England, yet I have experienced 'racism' when I moved down to the South. A charge nurse from Maritus asked one of the CNA's in my ear shot 'Where is that Northern Monkey". How do you deal with that one.

I have northern roots. So I feel your pain.I'm a Manc yank.When you're black and northern it tends to be open season on yor a**e.

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.
I have northern roots. So I feel your pain.I'm a Manc yank.When you're black and northern it tends to be open season on yor a**e.

LOL well I'm just a Manc lol:clown: Now living in AZ

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Man city or Man U?

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

Difficult one-but I'd have to go with Man C

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Man U through and through.haha. Its good to talk to a northerner thats not related to me. Footie talk eases my nursing pangs.

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America has a very violent racist history and it will stay in America...You cannot change anything about it...The history is there and history always repeats itself, whether you like it or not!!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Surgical ICU.
America has a very violent racist history and it will stay in America...You cannot change anything about it...The history is there and history always repeats itself, whether you like it or not!!

This is true, but with time I think it can change. It will probably come slower than most will like, but its bound to happen some day. IMO

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