Diversity in Nursing Leadership

Jules A, MSN · Sep 6, 2015

I'm not aware of the actual stats but my anecdotal view is that in the large inner city hospitals where I work there is excellent diversity across all positions. At the smaller rural hospital not so much but this is actually in keeping with what I perceive as the general population in that area also.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Sep 6, 2015

What JulesA said ^^^^^^

And I must ask- is this a homework assignment?

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Sep 6, 2015

I agree with the above two posters. The first poster makes an excellent point... I have lived and worked in both Rural and Urban America and although I tried to be very open minded and optimistic about having a career in Rural America, I left for the very reason that I could no longer ignore the lack of opportunities for people of my ethnicity despite education, talent, and work experience. On the other hand, many people that look like me are in positions of leadership and some started early on in his/her nursing/hospital career within my Urban work environment. Plus, as the second poster points out, your post reads like an assignment.... We don't like to do homework unless we are in school. Good luck! :)

chappco · Sep 7, 2015

Not a homework assignment, but I want some educated opions on why there is so much disparity amongst the nursing leadership workforce, and from what I have seen it never correlates with patient population. Being that I am from a different ethnic background I am more sensitive and observant of the trends. But I think our profession and influence has come far enough that we can select candidates based on their merit and acumen vs their politcal and fraternal alignments. I know this is idealistic but at some point we have to start looking at things from a different perspective. This is way to controversial to be a school topic.

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Sep 7, 2015

But I think our profession and influence has come far enough that we can select candidates based on their merit and acumen vs their political and fraternal alignments.

Oh, I see.... Unfortunately, no profession is that evolved; too many candidates are qualified based upon merit. Our profession as well as others will select candidates based upon merit to some degree (and more so the higher up you go), but ultimately the decision is based upon whether or not one is able to relate to the hiring person. Specifically, the manager, for example, feels connected to and/or trusts the candidate that he/she is hiring. This means that manager either has a prior relationship with that person or the manager knows people whom he/she trusts that knows the candidate.

My current manager, for example, hired me because I reminded her of herself. Yes, she was impressed with my MBA, years of work experience that is relative, my responses during my interviews, exam scores, resume, organizations and associations, licenses, etc..., but it was my reputation with a former manager, who she knew, that sealed the deal. In fact, our personalities are almost the same. :)

On the other hand, I have been passed over for promotions even in my progressive urban area because the hiring managers did not know me and/or they knew the other person or someone whom they trusted knew my competition. Thus, rather than be upset by the game (been there, done that), I learned to play it and make it work for me.

Basically, I learned to network and make my network work for/market me. Some will tell you to join organizations, which helps, while others will tell you to attend seminars. I had more than one job and networked that way.... In fact, my reputation with my last two jobs were very high these past so many years that I was able to ride it to meet more people and propel my career forward. You can do the same.... you just need to learn the game and what works for you as a player in it. :)

jrt4 · Sep 8, 2015

I can't say that I have observed the same phenomenon in my experiences. I am currently working in a large inner city and the leadership team is very diverse. What I am finding is that I cannot find any diverse candidates for my RN positions! Even though we serve the inner city 99% of my candidates are middle aged, white, female. Its not for lack of trying. I am not a minority myself but I do see great value in having a variety of ages, races and gender mix.

I orginally worked in a more rural setting where it was mostly Caucasian in leadership...however...the city in which the hospital was located was about 85% caucasian so it reflected to population.

I always go for the most qualified candidate as long as I think their interpersonal skills will mesh with the culture.

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Sep 10, 2015

I can't say that I have observed the same phenomenon in my experiences. I am currently working in a large inner city and the leadership team is very diverse. What I am finding is that I cannot find any diverse candidates for my RN positions! Even though we serve the inner city 99% of my candidates are middle aged, white, female. Its not for lack of trying. I am not a minority myself but I do see great value in having a variety of ages, races and gender mix.
I orginally worked in a more rural setting where it was mostly Caucasian in leadership...however...the city in which the hospital was located was about 85% caucasian so it reflected to population.
I always go for the most qualified candidate as long as I think their interpersonal skills will mesh with the culture.

I worked for hospital that had your problem in an urban setting too, specifically the ED. The leadership of that hospital found that the a small group of Caucasians (largely from the South and Midwest.., not even originally from that area) on that floor went out of their way to push out the non-white nurses, older nurses (did not matter the color), and nurses with alternative/non-traditional life-styles. Leadership hired a diverse group of people a lot to only have them not even make it past orientation, for example. So, your leaders might want to look very closely at the group of people that are already working for them and monitor what is going on... Why are people of color or nurses with a non-traditional life-style not working there in larger numbers?

By the way, the patients of the facility I am talking about noticed too and were aware of the reputation of that one ER! Other nurses and potential candidates were aware as well, which is why most minority candidates came from out of state. In other words, the local nurses knew of the reputation and harassment that occurred against employees of color and did not apply for open positions. Now, that facility has changed a great deal because after the leaders asked the right questions and figured out the group of nurses that were the problem (not surprisingly, many of them were the same nurses that received several complaints from a poor minority very diverse population of patients), the leadership cleaned house and it made a big difference! That ED now has a more diverse staff of nurses!

jrt4 · Sep 11, 2015

I worked for hospital that had your problem in an urban setting too, specifically the ED. The leadership of that hospital found that the a small group of Caucasians (largely from the South and Midwest.., not even originally from that area) on that floor went out of their way to push out the non-white nurses, older nurses (did not matter the color), and nurses with alternative/non-traditional life-styles. Leadership hired a diverse group of people a lot to only have them not even make it past orientation, for example. So, your leaders might want to look very closely at the group of people that are already working for them and monitor what is going on... Why are people of color or nurses with a non-traditional life-style not working there in larger numbers?

We do not have that problem. We have a somewhat diverse workforce at the moment in my unit. We have different races, ages, alternative lifestyles and everyone is treated with respect. My issue is more with the candidate pool not being diverse. I work in a specialty so getting specialty RNs is hard enough but it seems extremely difficult to get minority candidates. I have the opposite issue with my support staff (clerks, PCTs). I tend to get all minority applicants for those job codes.