Any chicana(half latino/half white) nurses out there or are pursuing nursing?

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I just wanted to ask if there are any hispanic nurses out there? I myself am half hispanic, the rest is Irish and Portuguese. I am probably the whitest latina you know, I dont speak Spanish..only a few phrases. I wanted to know how you ladies/gents got treated by your peers and nursing staff?

I must say I had a hard time in my first few months as a CNA..there were a lot of punjabis and a handful of african-americans and the rest white. I felt as if I was treated unfairly whenever I asked for help because I was latino. But you know what, I didnt let it get to me. I worked hard and now I am enrolling in LVN school. I dont see too many latino nurses, so any opinions would be cool..as long as they are not racist.

Do you feel because of being latino that people judge us? Like we're not smart enough or speak bad English or have a attitude? I dont know, I am just curious. I want to see more hispanic nurses. It makes me feel good when I see fellow latinos succeed in the health care field. Thanks for reading.

Hi! I'm not latina, but I thought I'd drop in and share this link:

Home page of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN)

Good luck! :)

Specializes in NP student.

In my class we have 3 half latinos, I myself come from Europe

Specializes in Geriatrics, Home health.

I'm a Hispanic LPN. I have been working for 2 years as a nurse and 1 year as an aide before that. I live in a predominantly Caucasian area. I have never had trouble with coworkers or managers/supervisors. As long as you are a team player, treat people with respect and present yourself professionally, it should not be an issue. I am sorry you have felt targeted in your job. I cannot speak for everyone, since I know that racism continues to exist, but know that it is not like that everywhere. Now, I did have one patient that was extremely uncooperative with me and made a couple derogatory remarks about my skin color. Initially, it stung, but I soon learned to develop a thick skin. And in my opinion, one patient out of hundreds is not too bad. :)

If you continue to feel targeted by staff, please report to management. Hopefully they will help mediate the situation.

Stay strong and kudos on continuing your education! I love hearing about fellow Latinos/as furthering their education! I am currently starting a transition to RN program this coming January. Buena suerte! (Good luck!)

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