Is this discrimination?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello haven't posted in a while. quick background before the meat. So I work at a fairly large health system, they currently own 95% market share so options here are not many. If you look at the pictures of the board of directors, they are all white. All my charge rn, the dept director, and her four clinical supervisors are all white. I happen to not be white, and I am bilingual. I have heard comments from physicians like: "they get off the plane and want us to fix all their problems". "That pt doesn't pass the smell test, hispanics are too emotional." The second comment was about my pt who came in with acute head pain worst of her life. History of Htn among other things and geriatric. I wanted to get her cleared for a stroke...the md never even came to the room. Waited and hour. Cat wouldn't take her stat cause it wasn't ordered stat. Well I gave report went home. Next day was told she ended up having a bleed. Now md won't even make eye contact with me. So I'm asked to translate all the time and now I'm told by triage and the charge and the clinical sups that I get certain PTs cause they only speak Spanish. My one year review is coming and I'm thinking of asking for a nice raise because speaking Spanish and translating are not in the job description...I checked. If they don't give it to me is it discrimination? Should I keep my minority mouth shut and just be happy I'm getting a paycheck? I was born in the USA. Technically I'm not a minority...right?

TO LEADER 25:

Wow I guess you are a "leader". Did you know only bad leaders need to call themselves leaders, or leadership? That is because true leaders don't have to try, they just are, and the rest need to call themselves leaders. You missed the point completely on this one . The facility should have a language line in place (the job of so called leaders) so that she is not put in a position of putting her license at risk in order to help the patient.

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It's not the post that upsets me it's the responses. Very hard to think that people, NURSES can say things like this to a person who IS a minority. " Your only a minority if you feel that way". I'm sure you're a white male. Advice to the poster, you have a set of skills that are highly valued across the nation and very well in high demand. Do as you wish my friend

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You ought to be ashamed of yourself

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
You ought to be ashamed of yourself

You ought to use the quote button

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Specializes in MCH,NICU,NNsy,Educ,Village Nursing.
Interpreters!! Not translators.

Unless they are working with the written chart? Then, can they please be called translators? (Sorry---I couldn't resist.)

Seriously though, good point. I will say though, and it probably doesn't really matter here, I wonder if "interpreter" for the spoken word is primarily a U.S. thing? One of the countries I've worked in prefer to call those who interpret the spoken word "translators". This is because they see a translator as one who will say word for word what the speaker is saying, and an interpreter as one who can put their own spin on what the speaker is saying.

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Specializes in MCH,NICU,NNsy,Educ,Village Nursing.
English, while the most widely spoken language in the United States, is not "THE" language of the country. The United States has intentionally never declared an official national language.

I am aware of that. Most of the countries I've traveled to/worked in have more than one language that the nationals speak, but English is usually not one of them, and they expect me to learn at least one of their primary languages.

My point is, if one is to live in the U.S., learning English, because it is the language that is at least informally recognized as the primary language, is key to success, safety, and so many other benefits.

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Actually, I couldn't care less.

Well said, Melania.

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Well said, Melania.

There is no need for you to be so nasty. It is the absolute norm here to pay RNs based on experience, not education in my area. I work PRN for a physician group. I'm not so incredible that anyone is going to break standard of practice to accommodate someone like me. And I'm perfectly content with the deal I have right now. I work when I want, and only when I want, for a decent salary and good working conditions. I know which battles to choose.

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Me, either. Most of the hospitals around here do not pay any more for holding a BSN. They pay for you being a registered nurse; the actual degree doesn't matter.

I agree with this 100%. In all my years at various hospitals, having an RN license and years of experience determined my pay. ADN and BSN nurses receive/received equal pay.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

The last three hospitals I've worked at, having a BSN resulted in an increased pay. Anywhere from $.70 to $2.00/hour more.

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The last three hospitals I've worked at, having a BSN resulted in an increased pay. Anywhere from $.70 to $2.00/hour more.

Where I work, my 22 years of experience (but only 6 years in OR) is trumped by nurses with 29, 30, 32, and 28 years OR experience. It's a small private OR. I don't think my BSN gives me any good reason to lobby for more pay than these others nurses.

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I would like to add that if a nurse's advanced education gives her an expanded scope over a RN, then it's to be expected that the nurse should be paid more than others nurses whose scope is more limited.

This subject is the whole reason why there is so much controversy with ADNs and BSNs taking the same exam, having the same scope, and the exact same license. I got my BSN because I already had another degree with many credits going toward my BSN. It didn't make sense to go with the Associate's degree, when only a couple more classes got me a BSN. If I were right out of school competing with other new grads with ADNs, I might certainly ask to get a higher salary for my additional education, knowing that in my market, that probably would get a "No." But with an identical license, identical scope, etc, if another RN has significantly more experience, I really don't buy the argument the BSN inherently deserves more pay.

I am a proponent of additional education for many reasons, and I am often puzzled by the negative attitudes displayed towards people who seek to increase their formal education. I do not, however, disregard the value of experience within the same license and scope of practice. Experience is incredibly valuable and is an education of its own.

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