Discrimination in the workplace

[Parrotindistress]

Hello ladies, I am looking for some honest advice about something that has been troubling me. First off, I love my job...and I love being a nurse, but my work environment has never sat right with me and this is one of the reasons why.

I have this coworker who keeps making negative comments about Aboriginal patients and people in general. At first, I brushed it off thinking that I was being too sensitive and over-reacting, but last night she said something along the lines of wishing a nearby reserve would "just get their own hospital" so she wouldn't have as many native patients. I am the only Aboriginal person on my unit...and I just don't know what to do. What's worse is that when she makes these comments, nobody stops or corrects her, they sometimes even giggle along. I sent a short email that glazed over my concerns to the head manager of the obstetrics program, hoping for a sit down so that we could discuss what to do. She hasn't gotten back to me yet.

I've researched the Alberta Human Rights Act and the AHS Code of Conduct, and I can't find anything in there that gives me any clarity. I'm a fairly new nurse as well...any advice that might be helpful is welcomed.

[SionainnRN]

Just because somebody does not think what he/she is doing or saying is wrong or adversely affecting other people, is not an excuse to condone discrimination against anyboody - especially in the nursing profession that professes to be a caring profession.

Actually, the OP should report the nurse immediately. The negative commentator nurse may be an actual or potential danger to the Aboriginal patients.

Oh absolutely! What the OP said the nurse said are horrible and shouldn't be said, especially in the work place. I was just trying to point out that due to different perspectives and phrasing, things that weren't meant to be offensive can come across that way, like how the OP phrased their opening sentence.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I have this coworker who keeps making negative comments about Aboriginal patients and people in general.

Have you once told her to stop? In these instances, 'I'-statements work well.

"I feel uncomfortable when you make prejudicial statements against patients who share my racial/ethnic background. Please stop."

[middleagednurse]

Im not saying it wouldnt happen Im just saying that discrimination is against the law.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Im not saying it wouldnt happen Im just saying that discrimination is against the law.

Although discrimination is unlawful, it is still transpiring in 2014. However, in this day and age, discriminatory practices tend to be more covert and nuanced.