African-American male Nurse Practitioners

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I am casting a large net to find someone like myself. I am an African American male just starting my first semester in a Master's Family Nurse practitioner program. As I look around the classroom , I'm unable to find anyone that looks like me. Is there anyone out there that fits this description ?--nationally or internationally ? I would like some information or wisdom concerning pros,cons; advantages,pitfalls of my new endeavor.

Specializes in Home Health, Primary Care.
Yeah! We tend to not notice things when they don't apply to us. Like we still pretend today that RACISM doesn't exist. A lot of the majority population wouldn't have any EARTHYLY IDEA about racism even if racism hit them smack dab in the face. Whether Geoff posted this message 5,10,15, or even 20 yrs ago it still has significance in todays world of nursing and medicine. As a minority we experience many unnecessary, unexplainable things that our equal counterparts never even have to deal with, like be confused with all of the healthcare team auxillary members (CNA,house keeping,PT,RT,patient escort, lab tech, pharm tech, etc...) while having a badge that Ray Charles could see identifying us as an RN!!!!! When you pretend to yourself that it doesn't happen, it is because you have probably been guilty of it yourself. Have you noticed how receptive people are to a young (majority) male in scrubs/lab coat versus a minority male in scrubs/lab coat?????? The minority could actually be the MD and majority the scrub tech, but guess who gets the MD RESPECT?

:uhoh3:

I agree that it doesn't matter when he posted it. I never denied that the post had any significance, I just commented on the fact that it just popped up like that, but Gwenith explained how it could happen. It's a shame that this kind of thing is still going on, but I don't allow it or anyone to hold me back. I for one am a West Indian female and I do experience the same thing in my ADN program, but I refuse to let it damage my 3.76 GPA.

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Specializes in Home Health, Primary Care.
I am so so sorry that you are getting this sort of prejudice still - it takes so long to change a culture but hopefully one day it will be gone :kiss

The people who were wondering how this thread resurfaced - it is the list "similar threads" at the bottom of the page. It pulls up EVERYTHING. This poor guy who started this thread probably did not get any responses because the community was much much smaller then - as you see now we are getting so many responses that we are already up to 2 pages!!!

One of the things I love about the Bulletin Board is that I DON'T know the color of the person I am talking to and I don't care. This gives me freedom to interact with them as a person without the constraints, conscious or unconscious, that our culture and upbringing have foistered onto us. Here I truly can reach my goal of being unprejudiced to all.

Me too!! I love e-bulletin boards for that reason also. We can really express how we feel, without walking on eggshells. Everyone is real with each other.

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Just thought I would add that one of the best NP's I have ever worked with is an AA male. Did his FNP in Louisiana. We worked together for awhile there and he is still there making a hell of a difference in lots of people's lives. A great person to work with and a great role model for all of us, male or female, black, white or otherwise.

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I am the culprit who gave rebirth to the thread. I am considering a nursing career and was combing through some old threads for information and I came across this one and replied.

I am surprised at the response to LadyT618's 1st reply about the thread resurfacing at such a long time by TaylorMade,R.N.

It seemed a neutral question to me. Does the situation change due to the fact that LadyT618 is Black.

Are some African-Americans conditioned to see things as racial issues that are really neutral.

TaylorMade,R.N. this not an attack on you I am looking at this as an issue that Blacks have to deal with. Sort of a racism vs. percieved racism question.

As with TaylorMade,R.N. and LadyT618, I am of African descent also.

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I too thought that Taylormade's response was a little harsh. But, somewhat in his defense (I guess), there are days that I feel so beat down by the system due to harassment or otherwise, that I truly have to check myself to keep from blowing up at those around me. When I first read his repsonse, I was thinking that's a bit much, but at the same time I thought, I have no idea what that brother has gone through today. I know that often times I am harassed by police as a Black female, but I can only imagine that my brothers are receiving that harassment at a rate far greater than my on. I know that there are even times that I have read posts on this board that have made me so upset that I have to disengage, take a step back and not let someone else's mindset, however ignorant, determine my behavior or mood.

Salus on your point. Yes, I definately believe that there are some Black people who equate everything to race. This does us a grave injustice at times. At the same time, I believe that there are many White people who equate everything to race as well. As in the case when a Black person is hired over a White person, that person automatically assumes without ever seeing the Black person's resume that he\she was hired due to affirmative action.

These are just my thoughts............

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[ This is to show my admiration for Geof"s response to cast net for african-american nurses. Those were powerful words of encouragement Geof. As a new entrant and user of allnurses.com I can'nt help but say thanks you guys for your contributions. Am currently trying to learn as much as possible about nursing in the western world ( I live in Kampala-Uganda East africa),but am trying to relocate to London-God willing.Keep up the spirit brothers and Sisters.

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I am casting a large net to find someone like myself. I am an African American male just starting my first semester in a Master's Family Nurse practitioner program. As I look around the classroom , I'm unable to find anyone that looks like me. Is there anyone out there that fits this description ?--nationally or internationally ? I would like some information or wisdom concerning pros,cons; advantages,pitfalls of my new endeavor.

jek2839, RN (Licensed in IN, MI, NM)

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Jek - you know this thread is 7 years old!!!??? Maybe you would want to start a new one?

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Specializes in Telemetry, ICU, Psych.
Hello Geoff

It's always encouraging to see another brother entering in the profession. I can totally understand where you are coming because I fit the mold that you are looking for. I am currently finishing my first semester in a distance learning FNP program and haven't had the chance yet to look around the classroom, but I'm pretty sure that I will be one of a few if not the only African-american male NP student in the entire program. If it is like past experiences (LVN,ADN,BSN programs) I expect to be drilled with the (very personal) 20 questions of who, what, where, why and when did you decide to become a nurse? Be confused with the stereo-type picture of what young African American males do as far as the Hip-hop era concerns? I could go on and on and on and on..... about how under represented and misunderstood African-American male nurses are in this day and time. I say that to say this we have an opportunity of a life time in the positions that we are in now to show AMERICA that not all African-American men are gang-bangers, thugs, baby's daddies, and GOD knows whatever else titles that have been bestowed upon us, but we are also Highly educated, respected, hard working men who feel and believe that we have just as muct to offer our profession as the next man or woman. I don't like to get started about issues affecting African american men because it really hits heavy in my heart, but I am and forever will be an advocate for African American male representation in the nursing profession at all levels until the day that breath leaves my body. A lot of our young brothers just need a little encouragement and guidance from some of us who have weathered the storm, stayed dry in spite of the continuous showers of rain and are now basking in the glorious rays of sun shine. All I can say is be encouraged my brother no matter what's going on, he will make it alright, but you got to stay STRONG!!!!

Well said!

CrazyPremed

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Jek - you know this thread is 7 years old!!!??? Maybe you would want to start a new one?

TraumaRU, your correct the thread is old and I'll restart this thread a little later.

Best regards,

jek2839, RN:typing

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Well said!

CrazyPremed

CrazyPremed,

Well said (x2)

jek2839, RN:typing

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While I am not African American, I am a male in the nursing world. It seems as if male nursing professionals are becoming more accepted, but there still aren't many of us. I'm one of three male students in my class of 70. I welcome the diversification of the nursing profession in all directions. I think all of us has something unique to bring to the table.

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