Any black male nurses out there?

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I am curious to know if there are any black male nurses out there?? I personally only know of one!! So just wondering if any exist :) , and where? I am from NC, and don't see a lot of them around.

Spoiled1Re: Any black male nurses out there?

Commuter,

I am starting to notice the same thing here...not a lot of African-Americans, but a lot of Africans. Interesting...

I am hoping to work in an ICU and I am sure there will be few if any African American people there

I am begining to think that AA are more discriminatory than any group.I never hear whites talk about "german immigrants, Danish etc immigrants", but for AA's Africans are not 'black'. Remember at first Obama wasn't black too( Bob Rush). As an African and an American, do I still need to provide some bona fides to qualify as a black man.

I agree, culturally, we are vastly different and when white Americans want to make a distinction then it may be mentioned that he/she is French, British, or German. There is not question as to whether or not Africans are black or whether are not they are African Americans. Both are true. It's only relevant as a matter of cultural diversity. My Egyptian concierge says that he is black but he emphasizes that he is also EGYPTIAN. Our frame of reference (slavery, jim crow, islam, christianity, PORK ;>) is different though our values are very similar.

Many Africans may have come from a place were everyone looked the same so color may not have been much of an issue. Discrimination may have resulted from socioeconomic status in those countries. Well here in America, how you look has often affected your socioeconomic status and looking "black" has not been conducive to upward mobility. Yes, we do need to grow as we have racisim within our own communities but we know where it has come from and understand that it is likely to be worse as we face others outside of the African diaspora who base their judgment on what they have seen through the eyes of the media.

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Hey yall,

I am a black male student actually enrolled in SC. I must say that there arent many here in sc either. I mean its one thing to be a nurse and a man and be black lord. More people of minority should really step up to the plate. Im sure that many dont want to be classified as something that their social groups would isolate as a punk or whatever. But hey I say I love it and with little support but myself right now im taking my pride and putting my all in it. I havent even finished high school yet so im enrolled in pre-nursing classes and about to start online high school diploma classes at accred. online school. So im staying very busy. I need some male nursing associates is what I need. Since I dont have any regular friends that i can relate to since im away from home! Anyone need associates?

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Greetings, all. I'm a young american african ( american being the adjective, since I AM a person of African decent that just happened to be born in America, without being so political, lol) & as my screen name implies, I am a lady. I'm jus lookn around here & I simply must chime in! I'll first issue a disclaimer, I dont mean to offend anyone & I apologize in advance if I do. Furthermore, in my perfect Utopia, there is only 1 race, the human race, now lets get real. The bottom line is that when someone of another race lays eyes on us, ( particularly Caucus mountain people) we are all blacks. So why all the segregation within the race? United we stand, divided we fall is what I say. Brothers, I commend you for all of your hard work & - know a lack of familiar faces can make you a bit uncomfortable, but know that there is nothing more beautiful than you you in business mode( well, maybe child birth). But I'm biased, my father looks like you!

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The bottom line is that when someone of another race lays eyes on us, ( particularly Caucus mountain people) we are all blacks. So why all the segregation within the race? United we stand, divided we fall is what I say.

Ladyasheleyd, I agree with you. When others see us we are seen as black. When i see us, all I see is a beautiful black people full of diversity, different values, faiths, and creeds. We are different within our race because of culture--even down to the smallest family unit. We are no different from any other race of people. Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans are all Hispanic but they are different. Unified in some causes and diverse in others. The French, Germans, British and plain old white Americans are no different. African Americans whose parents were slaves or have been here for generations have a unique perspective of what it means to be American. Many people born in Africa think we have had it easy and won't let go of the past. At least this is what some have told me. We all struggle for equality because we are all black but not all of us see the same past.

For example, I was told by a Nigerian woman that she once told an African American girl.."at least my father sent me over here and I didn't come on a ship". I cannot remember what that was in response to but I can remember that she said that. I was stunned. My response was because of the struggle those who came on a ship you can enjoy the freedoms offered here in America.

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There are several at the hospital where I work. The best known one works in child psych, and the kids there absolutely love him. :loveya: I know a black man who is in the RN program at the community college; he emigrated from Togo a few years ago, is now a permanent resident, and would one day like to attend medical school.

The high risk OB in this town is a black woman, and there is a black neurosurgeon as well.

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Firechalice, well "spoken". Through expressing your point of view, you taught me something, thank you. I was taught that when the devil does math, he divides - hence divide & conquer. People of color are fast becoming the new majority & we need to present to the world a united front. I see us as a big beautiful diverse "family" of sorts. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of people outside of this "family" willing to discriminate against us & treat us unjustly, we dont need to experience it @ "home" too .

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I worked with a wonderful black male nurse in LTC. He explained that in his (Nigerian) culture elderly family members were cared for @ home & often expressed sorrow that the need for LTC even existed. He was the only BSN staff nurse, as LTC employs mostly LPNs & RNs. He also worked @ a very prestigious hospital, & expressed a need to work in geriatrics. He brought to the unit a level of love & respect for his patients that I havnt seen before or since

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I am African American and Male. I never thought about this question personally, but I look forward to becoming a nurse. I am currently starting my prereqs @ the local JC here in Los Angeles this Summer and think that nursing is a great career path. I worked @ one of the new major Kaisers as a security guard when I was younger, and loved the feeling of working in the hospital atmosphere.

Although I am extremely nervous about nursing school, I am equally excited. The problem I face is what school to attend after I finsh most of my prereqs this fall. WCU, Mt. Saint Marys, or Everest? lol - I have 2 months to decide and begin studying for entrance exams. Wish me luck!

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I am African American and Male. I never thought about this question personally, but I look forward to becoming a nurse. I am currently starting my prereqs @ the local JC here in Los Angeles this Summer and think that nursing is a great career path. I worked @ one of the new major Kaisers as a security guard when I was younger, and loved the feeling of working in the hospital atmosphere.

Although I am extremely nervous about nursing school, I am equally excited. The problem I face is what school to attend after I finsh most of my prereqs this fall. WCU, Mt. Saint Marys, or Everest? lol - I have 2 months to decide and begin studying for entrance exams. Wish me luck!

If you can apply to 2 or 3 then that'd be great. If you are accepted into all 3 then you can make a choice. Otherwise I'd go where I was accepted. Good luck!

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Sounds great! I will apply to the 2 ADN programs first, and the bsn program last. 3 different test to study for but ohwell.

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Specializes in Step-down ICU.
Spoiled1Re: Any black male nurses out there?

Commuter,

I am starting to notice the same thing here...not a lot of African-Americans, but a lot of Africans. Interesting...

I am hoping to work in an ICU and I am sure there will be few if any African American people there

I am begining to think that AA are more discriminatory than any group.I never hear whites talk about "german immigrants, Danish etc immigrants", but for AA's Africans are not 'black'. Remember at first Obama wasn't black too( Bob Rush). As an African and an American, do I still need to provide some bona fides to qualify as a black man.

Dear Ken02,

No you do not need to provide any bona fides to qualify as a black man in my book. I apologize if my statement was taken out of context.I am not discriminating against Africans, African-Americans or anyone for that matter. My statement was simply based on observation never intended for it to be Africans vs. African Americans.

Actually when I first wrote the thread I don't think I was even in nursing school yet and had just started working in a hospital setting. I noticed that there were very few black male nurses (African or African-American) that worked there. Im sure this is not the case everywhere in the world but considering I work for the third largest public healthcare system in the country, it was shocking. My original thinking was where are the black male nurses, surely they exist? So I posted here just for some feedback. A lot has changed since I originially posted this thread. For one I graduated nursing school on Tuesday and secondly I work in a different department with more blacks, but 98% of the black RNs in this area are African. NOT SAYING ANYTHING IS WRONG WITH THAT, AGAIN ITS AN OBSERVATION. But my mind still can't help but wonder why African Americans are not pursuing nursing...which is why I said "interesting". For whatever its worth this is my attempt to explain myself. This thread was never intended to be a "black enough" and who should be considerd black conversation. My apologies to anyone I've offended.

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Specializes in Neuroscience ICU.

Hi firechalice,

I agree with everything you wrote except "When others see us we are seen as black." Where I work, a very large University affiliated health care system, I don't believe that we see ourselves as being in any particular racial/ethnic group. Until I read your post, which I am copying to give to our staff.. I never thought about this aspect of our interpersonal relationships between ourselves and our clients.

I'm gonna ask the opinions of our diverse staff...my God...we come from a dozen plus countries representing nearly every human society on this planet, whether or not our colleagues feel that they are first seen as being black, before they are recognized as being professional nurses. If so, this sucks and we are clearly doing something wrong.

By the way..since this topic is about black male nurses...meaning that race has been brought into this..our male nurses..whether they are of African, Carribean, Central, South, Latin American, North American, Middle Eastern descent or from parts of Asia, both ends of Earth's North and South poles, or from the Equatorial areas of Earth...Well....as a rule...our male nurses rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:smokin:

Race isn't an issue with me anyway, certainly not with those I work with.

I am so fortunate to work with such a great group of people. I wish everyone would have the same opportunity to experience the satisfaction of working with intelligent, well educated, dedicated professional nurses who offer so much in terms of their lifes experiences, their own history, culture, language, and more importantly, the diverse cuisine that they bring along with their nursing education and clinical experiences.

Or..maybe I just like and admire everyone I work with.:twocents:

I do have to mention that like everywhere else we do have specific racial designations in professional organizations that specify which group of people they represent...its a shame, :o but a reality of our obsession with race.....

We're o.k..we all just have to be ourselves and be open to new experiences and lifestyles of others. Remember that we spend a great deal of time with the people we work with..we may as well be a family.

Hope this helps..

eeka

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