Elizabeth Warren says doctors, nurses don't treat black women same way as other women

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Is it bash medical professions month and I just didn't realize it?

Don't get me wrong I do believe that prejudice exists but according to Ms. Warren, the only concievable reason for the increased materials deaths in African American women is due to doctors and nurses being prejudice. This is absolutely ludicrous.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.foxnews.com/politics/elizabeth-warren-doctors-nurses-black-women.amp

Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.
9 hours ago, KalipsoRed21 said:

I think the hardest thing for white people to ever admit to themselves is that, by far and large we have benefits related to our skin color. It is really hard to see because we are like “Dude, I’ve struggled, how is that different from others struggling?”

I don't completely agree with your entire post, but this right here is so on point.

I am a Caucasian woman married to an African American male. I can't count the number of times where I have automatically benefited from white privilege without even trying. Anyone who thinks that this does not exist is either in complete denial or is just ignorant to the reality of it.

The issue isn't that white privilege does exist so much as the bigger issue being when we pretend it doesn't exist. That is where the problem is.

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Specializes in Surgical Specialty Clinic - Ambulatory Care.

My point is that many laws disproportionately affect those of low income. That low income statistically are minorities (all races) and that these laws cause these people accumulated fines and fees that they were never able to pay in the first place putting them further behind.

And honestly if there is a study that shows black women of all socioeconomic statuses have poorer out comes than other races, then I would believe that there is some prejudice somewhere we aren’t seeing that is causing this statistic.

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On 4/28/2019 at 1:30 AM, bug2621 said:

even after I told them I was a nurse there.

OMG

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12 hours ago, KalipsoRed21 said:

BTW I am white. I hate ANY accusation that I have treated any patient unequally, but I have started to recognize that some of the “rules” that make patient non compliant are really kind of elitist and racist too. 

Can you expand upon this?

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1595019/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0146000517300423

i could go on forever with the scholarly articles related to this. This is not a political issue, and what warren said was true. We are doing our patients a disservice (even if it's not on purpose). We can do better and the first way to change is to recognize that we have some sort of bias in these populations and listen to them

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Specializes in ICU.
On 4/27/2019 at 10:30 PM, bug2621 said:

*sigh* Her political motives aside...she has a point. Now to generalize and say that all nurses and doctors treat black women differently, is far reaching but there is implicit bias out there, not only have I seen it, I’ve experienced it.

I worked PRN at a hospital and went in around 2 am with 10/10 colicky abdominal pain and I’d had n/v/d for hours. I went to that ED because it was closest to my house. The nurses were nice enough but didn’t seem to take me too seriously. The MD comes in and does an exam and when I wince as he’s palpating, he actually asked “ are you sure that really hurts” with a very condescending tone. They were treating me like a drug seeker, even after I told them I was a nurse there. They finally ordered a CT and gave me a bag of fluids and protonix, saying it was acute gastritis. The MD even said my CT was negative. The pain went away but returned with a vengeance that afternoon. This time I went to the hospital I worked full time at. One of the residents recognized and pulled my records from the hospital. He told me that everything I was experiencing sounded exactly like gallstones and when he pulled my CT (from the other hospital) it confirmed it. I went to surgery that night because it was so inflamed.

So whether you believe my story story or not, take a moment to do some research on this matter and you’ll see that lots has been done, especially in regards to the AA are treated for pain by providers.

I believe you.

I have had to fight for black patients to receive pain medication when they needed it.

Example 1. A guy had an above the knee amputation. He was black. He was restless in bed. I look to give him something for pain and the only thing he has on his mar was Tylenol. WOW!. I went to the intern and said he needs dialudid now. “Intern asked me do you think he’s in pain. I asked him do you think having your leg amputated doesn’t hurt? It’s a major surgery.” He smiled and chuckle and ordered the man pain medicine. He’s leg was cut off about 8 hours ago and nobody seemed to care to ask him if he was hurting prior to my shift. He was restless in bed.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

Few people are out in the open, cross burning racists.

All people have bias, and most people are unaware of their own bias which causes them to treat people unequally.

Even if you have no intention of being racist, you likely hold some ideas that you aren't completely aware of, that cause you to discriminate.

Once you get to the awareness, you can start to correct yourself.

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As an African-Canadian nurse with 8 years of general surgery and ambulatory care experience (endoscopy, surgical daycare, medical daycare, OPAT) I can say unequivocally that Elizabeth Warren is spot on with these statements. There is ample evidence available that supports her statement.

As a junior black nurse, I have experienced bullying and harrassment by senior nurse colleagues.

Now, in a complete role reversal, as a young black female who is now a patient attempting to heal from the cumulative stressors of working within a toxic culture, I have also faced discrimination from several physicians and specialists -- despite my education, professional nursing experience, and a well-versed understanding of MY OWN feelings, symptoms, and bodily functions. This "prejudice" has devastated me AND my family physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially. My only hope is that I do not need surgery as the abdominal pain and bleeding that I have complained about since 2017 when I asked for a full endoscope (versus the flexible sigmoidoscopy that was performed) has now turned into chronic iron deficiency, low hemoglobin, an unpaid medical leave, and financial dependence on family and government funding while I wait for an urgent colonoscopy.

This "prejudice" that Elizabeth Warren speaks of is contributing to higher maternal death rates, and overall poorer health outcomes within African-American (Black) communities and CANNOT be ignored.

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Specializes in ER.

Explain this:

CDC: US Hispanics live longer than Blacks or Whites

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7 minutes ago, Emergent said:

Explain this:

CDC: US Hispanics live longer than Blacks or Whites

Maybe their personal lifestyle had something to do with it?

Instead of a politician who pushed her career by claiming something about her lineage, is now claiming that Nurses and Doctors are prejudiced against minorities?

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Specializes in Cardiology.
1 hour ago, KonichiwaRN said:

Maybe their personal lifestyle had something to do with it?

Instead of a politician who pushed her career by claiming something about her lineage, is now claiming that Nurses and Doctors are prejudiced against minorities?

That article says nothing about medical care that Hispanics receive. I have seen countless anecdotes and research articles posted that state how prejudice is a problem in the medical community. I think one user hit it spot on the head that it’s rare that there are card carrying, in your face racists. In most cases it’s subtle, and often time people don’t realize it themselves. And honestly all races (black, white, brown) have some prejudices based on our experiences. Now, the question is do we realize the biases and check them? And honestly, the only way this issue will ever be fixed is if people take an honest look at themselves and their belief systems and start to change it.

Arguing that its BS or deflecting the issue, does no one any good. In fact, it proves the point of every person here and it actually makes matters worse. And unfortunately there are some people that have no urge to change of take a look at themselves, and they fight tooth and nail in the face of all evidence presented to them and they make the matter worse. I could give you article after article, study after study, and testimonial after testimonial and you still wouldn’t believe it. I could write a dissertation and you’d never read it.

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Racial/Ethnic issues are complex. However, I do get the over all point she is trying to make. I know we are talking about maternal health and what is happening with black women. I'm a psych nurse. Black men are more likely to be misdiagnosed when it comes to mental health. How detrimental that is for someone with a mental illness and their loved ones. Delays proper treatment.

I remember reading some excellent journal articles written by a psychiatrist who came around to admitting his own biases and was educating others psychiatrists and other mental health providers about it.

And yes, minorities and first generation immigrants are not immune from being biased. None of us are. I can check all of the above boxes. Sometimes I have to check myself and remind my own self to keep an open mind when I am faced with someone that is different.

I stand with Elizabeth.

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