Dealing with racist co-workers!

Nurses Relations

Published

I am an RN that works in the Behavioral Health field. I am Italian and my hubby is AA. We have 4 beautiful children and are very happy together. My problem is the staff I work with keep making derogatory racial statements/slurs in my presence. They all know that I have a racially mixed family yet this still continues!:eek: I have told them on numerous occasions that I am extremely offended by their comments, yet the behavior continues. Last night one of my co-workers was talking about Obama, and he said "I wouldn't care if we had a mixed race president, I just wish he wasn't half ******!" I was infuriated and I told him so!!!!!!! :argue::argue: The jerk then tried to apologize to me for making that comment. I told him I didn't accept his apology, because he continues to make these same statements over and over! Unfortunately, he is not the only one that does this, there are several others guilty of doing the same thing! I have told my supervisor on numerous occasions, and she has talked to the staff several times yet it continues on an almost nightly basis! The supervisor brought in administration and they supposedly "counseled" them, yet this still continues!:banghead: Please tell me how to handle this! I am almost ready to quit my job, because I think one night I am really just gonna lose it and end up getting fired for killing one of them!!!!!!!!!:devil:

It is very sad to me that racism is still so prevalent in our society. It is even sadder that it exists in health care professionals! How can a health care worker give quality care to every pt. if they are so racist??? This not only infuriates me, but it also makes me extremely sad!!:crying: Please give me some advice!

Thanks!

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I wouldn't tolerate that sort of behavior. You need to speak with your manager. If they do not do anything thing about the situation I would go straight to HR. Racist remarks should not be tolerated and have no place in the professional setting.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Joint Commission is now intervening on bullying behavior and to me, this is what they are doing. Disregarding your numerous attempts to inform them that this is very offensive to you. I believe that if your manager is unable to successfully address this behavior enough to make it stop, then, a call to HR should be in order. I am sorry this is happening to you.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

Yes, I would file a complaint with JCAHO if this persists. If not them, go to HR or the supervisor above your supervisor.

I've known several people to have had their jobs terminated because of remarks like this. It makes the workplace hostile.

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

you need to go to JACHO and complain, this is bullying and it needs to be turned into HR

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I go through this all day... everyday.... I am also AA and hubby is caucasian...we have a bi-racial daughter and I have a son from a previous whatcha-ma-call-it who is AA....There are still some ignorant ppl in this world today...I moved into a small town where hubby grew up and what do you know....there are only a handfull of blacks and the rest are caucasian....I tend to ignore the ignorance because I refuse to stoop to their level of ignorance, but sometimes, I will admit...It hurts to hear the things ppl say...

Just pray and I will pray for you as well...

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yes, file a complaint. yes, go to your manager. also remember that God looks at the color of our hearts, not the color of our skin. If we could all learn this simple concept, life would be so much better for all of us, no matter what color God Painted us !

:saint:

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i think that you have done all you can do on that level..it is time to move up the ladder and make an offical complaint

there are some things that you have to do for the poeple who come behind you so that they do not have to put up with the same thing and if it is not stopped there will be no reason for them to stop it

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Specializes in Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.

Although my situation is not the same as yours I find I too have to deal with idiotic jerks repeating the same unbelievable comments over and over again. Grit your teeth; we are (involuntary) agents of change and have no choice but to re-educate these idiots; one jerk at a time, like moving the ocean with a teaspoon. Brings to mind the story about the man surrounded by millions of starfish throwing them back into the surf one by one; I gotta believe it makes a difference-to this one!

Hang in there!:banghead::saint:

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It is unfortunate that people can be so ugly, your coworkers probably can see how upsetting and hurtful this is to you, egging them on. I would go straighht to hospital administration with documented dates and times of these comments, I experienced something like this by a hateful coworker who was AA, I am AA my husband is Asian. She made loud insulting comments about interracial couples, biracial children etc. I simply told her I felt sorry for her that I had prepared my child to deal with bigots such as herself, that she would be fine, and I guess it is a shame Americans such as Barrack Obama, Halle Berry, Terrence Howard came to be? Then I said I guess you never heard Dr. King's I have a dream speech, I suggest you do.

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Specializes in LTC, wound care.

What she said! I also am sad to see this happen to you. Also, every place I have ever worked lately would consider this bad behavior to be a firing offense. See your HR office to check, and make a formal complaint about it.

I know Obama is a hot topic, but sheesh! He's most likely to be our next pres., like it or not!

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I agree with Chatsdale. Take this to the top.

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