Hello, everyone out there in the world of allnurses.com I just need to get something that's been bothering me for a while off of my chest. I just want to talk about this issue especially affecting minority nurses. And that issue is that it can be hard to be a nurse of color.
I am part Somoan/part African-American and consider myself Black for the most part. Well, I just feel that after all these years, minority nurses still don't get as much respect as their white colleagues.
Always being mistaken for for support staff even though my name tag boldly states who I am and my credentials. And I even feel that sometimes, patients feel insulted by me being their nurse. It seems like that when I first go into the patient's room, before I can introduce myself properly, they always assume I am a CNA. After I explain that I am their nurse, they seem to loose that "glow". It's like they don't want ME to be their nurse. And when a previous nurse that happens to be white reports how pleasant a patient was, I don't get that "pleasant" behavior from the same patient.
We as nurses know that patients can often be demanding, rude, and downright ridiculous with any nurse. But, to the minority nurses out there, do you sometimes feel that you are being treated with less respect because your a minority? Do you feel like you get treated differently from the other nurses by the same patient?
Another pet peeve of mine - I absolutely hate when elderly Caucasian patients refer to me as "girl" or "little gal." I'm a 26 year old woman for Christ's sake!!! I don't look like a "little girl," either, so I suspect it's being done subtly to question my womanhood.
While I don't know for certain anyone's intent, I honestly don't think that is meant in a derogatory manner. I think it is simply the vast age difference that causes an elderly person to refer to those so much younger than them as such. I have a CRNA at work who is truly not much older than me (I'm 41) who refers to me as 'kid' on occasion. I do not take offense, I take it as a sweet compliment. I do tend to look much younger than my age and as a 20-something that was such a bad thing to me but now I recognize that it was a wonderful gift LOLOL I just hope I can maintain that well into old-age ROFL
okay, now I don't mean to signal you out, please forgive me.... I don't understand the racial issues of being black, but I have found patients to tell me they don't want that "colored" back". .... I assure you I've smarty responded that "okay, well if you wish to give up the most experienced and knowing nurse because of her color, I have a brand new white nurse, just out of school........." BUT, we CAN make them think twice!..... I'd be MORE than happy to give you what your asking for, FRESH out of school. THIS does work both ways, you need a nurse on the receiving end to have fun with these dumb folks.
I'm sorry that you were the one being "minimized", I've fallen short of expectations a few times and been called on it (religious beliefs and moral ethics I tend to fight to the end with advanced directives), rightfully so, only once for no reason but for crazy family and it DROVE ME NUTS to be accused for doing nothing wrong but being the wrong color.... it's indescribable, deep and shallow.... "have we come to this.... now?" Thank you sharon.
Hello there. I've been a nurse for 16 years now. I received my BSN at 21 so I was very young when I entered this field. I've encountered all that you have mentioned and more; I've been called the 'N' word right to my face by a patient(she used the word so much in her everyday conversation, she slipped), I've had physicians walk out of the room after seeing me stand there and ask who's the nurse for the patient, and I've been floated to areas and had other nurses assume that I'm the CNA or the tech.
The only thing that I can tell you that as I've grown older, these types of things happen a lot less, perhaps it has something to do with your demeanor, a growing maturity in the profession and your self-confidence. I don't know, I'm just throwing darts here. Also it seems to bother me less, I can't let stupid people be my problem.
A lot of people bash the South, but while racism here is more overt, I actually found the insidious Northern version to be a lot harder to overcome. That's just my experience.
The most virulent racism I have to combat in the place I work now though is black vs. black. I don't hear too many people talk about it but it's a monster.
They "elected" to come here because they were starving in Ireland . They "elected " to come here because the Russian Cossacks, the Spanish royalty, Hitler's Germany, and probably other countries were murdering Jews and/or ordering them out, letting them take only what they could carry, with no time to sell their possessions, having to leave everything behind basically and glad to get out with their loved ones, if any had not been murdered already, and their own skins. Lithuanians, among many others, heard that the streets here were lined with gold - plenty of work, high wages, yeah, yeah, yeah. So they came on over. Why? They were lured here to labor in meat packing plants until the horrendous conditions at work killed them off - if they could even find jobs - there were more starving immigrants than there were jobs - just read "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair and you'll see the life of those who "elected" to come here. Study the Industrial Revolution if you want to know about the struggle of many immigrants who "elected" to come here. See how they enjoyed roach-infested, TB-ridden tenements - cold water 5th floor walk-up's. How they rejoiced in their sweatshops, where they never saw daylight, where the women couldn't stop long enought to tend to their menstrual garment changing needs, where they carried work home and the whole family did piece work into the night so they'd have a couple of meals each day. Oh, they were free. They came in steerage, a step up, surely, from chains. But they slaved their lives away to enrich their bosses. Meanwhile, they struggled to make a better life for their children. Don't tell me this isn't so. It is the story of my own family and I know it by heart. I am struggling, not as hard as my parents and grandparents, but it is still a struggle, to make life better for my own children and grandchildren. This is what people do. I thank God for the opportunities that women have now. It is a 2-edged sword, certainly, yet it enables me to keep a roof over our heads, provide college, etc.
Read about man's greed and his demonic arrogance before God and his fellow man in "The Grapes of Wrath". The Joad family in that book was already in America but their treatment by the evil capitalists who shoved them into the dirt, literally throwing them off of their farm in the name of profit, will help open your eyes to the fact that so many, many people have been maltreated and exploited.
Being brought here the way Kunta Kinte was was horrible. It was a sin before God. It should never have happened. It is over, though, just as the exploitation of the other groups I have mentioned is now history. Slavery stopped here in 1865 - 142 years ago. Jim Crow ended about 40 years ago. Blacks HAVE made tremendous strides. The younger blacks that I work with have no idea of how it was even during the MLK days. That really amazes me. I have to tell THEM about Bull Connor and his dogs and his cold water hoses. I have to tell THEM about lunch counter sit-in's, Freedom Riders, and lots of other aspects of those days that are forever marked in my memory because I saw them on TV. They have never been told they couldn't sit wherever they liked, shop in any store, apply for any job. They are products of busing to suburban schools. A couple of them are very disrespectful of my being the RN and I have to take a gentle, motherly stance with them to get them to do things that I, as the RN, believe need doing. I know they all know how to do my job, being CNA's, but I'd somehow like to continue my little delusion that I am actually the decision-maker, since I am the one whose license is on the line.
BTW, I take that as not a racial thing but as a youth vs. old lady thing, LOL. And no matter their color, I have to be sweet yet firm with them. We all, BTW, get along very, very well. I have a good group of staff and tey have a great nurse. But it's because I have learned, over the last 30+ years, how to supervise and manage and deal with subordinate staff. It's still hard some times.
There are at least 2 types of slavery - chattel and wage. You probably and I definitely are wage slaves. We live, most of us, just a couple of months or so from complete disaster if we lose our wages. Maybe some are able to go a year or 2 without wages but a lot more can go only a very short time. No, we're not lashed, yes, we can vote and use the front door, any toilet, try on shoes in the shoe store, etc. The result is still awful, should you lose your wages. We are slaves to the wealthy, powerful, and often very evil people who run this world.
And, as stated earlier by me and others, there is absolutely plenty of fear of lawsuits from blacks on the part of employers. Why? Because the law in this area is like the Inquisition. You are guilty until proven innocent. And we can probably count on one hand the number of people who were ever innocent before the Inquisitors. There is no acceptable defense against being charged with being discriminatory against minorities. If you're charged, you're guilty. Just as there was no defense against white mobs hell-bent on murdering blacks, the situation is that bad today against whites. Not the murder part but the guilty if charged part. And I'm sorry but that is not fair. That is not equality. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, some black Muslims seem to be ok with that. It is hard not to wonder how many average blacks that we work with every day, who are our next door neighbors, who teach our kids in school, etc. feel the same way. They might not say it but we have no way of knowing if they feel it.
There is reluctance to discipline blacks, unless the Supervisor also happens to be black and is trying hard to be fair, there is unwillingness to not promote blacks instead of whites, even if the white person is more qualified, which is not always the case, I'm sure, but the facility HAS to have a certain number of blacks or other minorities to meet the law or get its funding, whatever. That does NOT mean there aren't blacks who should be promoted. Blacks take places in colleges that whites cannot have because they are earmarked for minorities. I am NOT saying blacks shouldn't get to go to college - hear me, now - just that in order for a certain number of minorities to go, a certain number of majorities must be excluded. I guess it's fair but it is still a bitter pill to swallow when you or your child can't get into a certain school but minorities can and you find out that the standards by which they were judged might have been different or that it was based, at least in part, on quotas having to be met.
And whoever used the word "whine" to say what whites are doing - if that isn't insensitive I don't know what is. It trivializes our experiences and feelings and we don't like that any more than you do. So it would be appreciated if you would try to show respect to us, just as you want shown to you.
Ok Trudy, the "THEM" that you're talking about are probably just a small handful. I hope that you don't think their representative of the whole. The sit-ins, water hoses etc. are a very real part my immediate family's history. I see that you are the same age as my parents. Maybe you didn't participate in burning crosses, but don't you think that some of those that did are still around and pass that ignorance on to their children? And in regards your statement about majorites being excluded to let minorities into certain colleges and institutions, why is it so hard to believe that mionorities may get into these institurions based soley on academics. My brother went to an Ivy league, and he's had to deal with people who don't think that he'd there based on good grades and hard work, and that's a shame.
Trudy, your reading list was unnecessary. First off, I have read all of the tomes you suggested. *I* suggest that the authors of these social commentaries would be appalled that you are using them to justify your impatience with the oppressed speaking of their experiences.
As to your history lesson: I am well aware of the plights of various groups at various points in time and space. However, once again, that has nothing to do with the problems being faced by this particular group.
I see absolutely nothing constructive in saying that AA's should stop complaining, and denying what they say is their truth is like a nurse saying, "Your pain can't be a 10. I don't hurt."
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
There is no acceptable defense against being charged with being discriminatory against minorities. If you're charged, you're guilty.
Actually, black plaintiffs do need some tangible proof of discrimination before an attorney will even agree to handle their cases. Also, I've known for many of these discrimination cases to be entirely dismissed, if the black employee has a file that is loaded with documented disciplinary action and write-ups for various workplace offenses.
My coworker is a white female nurse with 27 years of experience in this field. She used to be a nurse manager, but stepped down from the position due to the low pay and increased responsibilities. Anyhow, a black employee filed a lawsuit against her for discrimination. The black employee made the claim that the white nurse manager was racist. This case made it all the way to court.
While on the witness stand, my white coworker displayed pictures of her family to the judge and jury. The pictures showed her black husband, four biracial children, and eight biracial grandchildren. She didn't have to say much, because the pictures spoke one thousand words.
No matter how much people might want to sweep it under the rug, what the OP describes is out there. And yes, I've seen bigotry toward whites, too. Idiots, bigots, and ******** come in all colors.
Couple of anecdotes, if you'll indulge me
I was privileged to work with one of the sweetest, most compassionate persons I've known. She was scary-smart too, lol. One night, one of her patients called out and asked for his "black nurse". She calmly walked in and said, "Mr ___, I am not your 'black nurse', I am your nurse. Now what can I do for you?" She was my hero :yelclap:
When I started LPN school, I met this wonderful young lady who became my bestest friend :) We were inseparable. She was so damned funny, no matter how discouraged I felt, she could snap me right out of it (and I her). We applied and were hired to the same floor as GPNs on night shift. Drove to Orlando to take our boards (the rest of the class went to Jax because it was closer; pffft... can you say DisneyWorld ?!?!) She was the sister I never had. We used to sit around charting and she'd ask me "why do white women ____". We'd ponder that a bit, then I'd ask "Why do black women ____" and we'd ponder some more. It was hilarious, because the others just didn't get us and would look on in horror
And to this day, I laugh 'til I cry when I think of her stories ... (my favorite involved cold water, high heat, a pot full of pissed-off crabs, and a broom handle; although I must admit that barely eeks out the one where her husband ticked her off, and displayed the poor judgment of going to sleep in the same house as her and a bottle of Nair).
This thread reminded me of her; not because I witnessed anyone treating her badly, but because if I had, I'd have kicked their ***.
God I miss her. I lost contact years ago... so Joyce, if you're reading this, I love you honey!! *hugs*
Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.
Some posters failure to recognize that everyone should be able to air thier frustations (due to their own experiences), demonstrates the need for this actual discussion on this board.
EVERYONE im sure has had some instance of prejudice , not just AA, not just Hispanics, not just Asians, etc. I also think that those on this board need to realize that just b/c you are a "majority" and maybe have never experience racism aimed at you, doesnt mean it doesnt exist. And if you are a "minority". it doesnt mean that no one else can understand your experiences, if they dont also happen to be a "minority".
Everyones individual perceptions & dealings of racism dont cancel anyone elses out or makes one experience better and more real than the other.
I am enjoying this discussion immensely b/c it is really helping lots of people share stories that are not readily shared in public (since it puts them at risk for being "taboo".)
Please continue sharing your stories so that I and many others may learn how to better deal with the things that come into our lives, because racism is truly unavoidable and finds you whether you are looking for it or not...
(This song actually started playing as I was typing this response: " A Change Gonna Come - By Sam Cooke". Coincidence, you think?)
So just because a few ignorant people that happen to be black use racial slurs, you want to know why you can't? Are you serious? It's not okay for anybody to use those slurs, I don't care what color the user of those words is. And you say that you have to pay the price for what whites did years ago. Well may I ask, just how exactly have you paid? Please do tell. I'm dying to hear just one example of how you have paid for the sins of dead white people? I don't feel that anybody blames you for what your ancestors may have done. If they do, then they're ignorant and don't deserve to talk to you.
I'm sorry you work with a bunch of morons, but you don't sound very adult-like when you say that it's "unfair" that somebody else gets to get away with bad behavior and you don't. It's like you want to be able to get away with it, too. And please, don't try to discount my experiences by saying that I may be expecting it or seeing something that isn't there. Oh it's there alright. What I've dealt with is real and it needed to be brought out. I am not the one coming in with preconceived notions about people I don't know. I am on the receiving end of such people. So, please, don't do that. You're insensitive to the fact and that's too bad. I am not asking for yor sympathy if that's what you think. I'm just facing the issue head on and discussing it with others that feel the same way.
And I will forget the issue of race when it's not brought up in my face on a daily basis. Until then, I'll talk about it and deal with it. And I do happen to care about what my patients think of me. Because if they're racist, then they won't care if I'm competent or not. They'll make sure I am crucified before the day is over. That's what racist people do because they don't feel that someone of another color deserves to have anything. They'll spend their energy on destroying someone that they dont' like.
Oh,well, maybe you don't or won't understand what I've experiened. But, that doesn't make it any less real. Again, I'm so sorry for your experiences. However, just because you can't understand what I've gone through doesn't mean you get to discount it. Thanks for your reply.
EXACTLY!!!!!! ITA. Could have not said it better myself!!!!!!!
Actually, black plaintiffs do need some tangible proof of discrimination before an attorney will even agree to handle their cases. Also, I've known for many of these discrimination cases to be entirely dismissed, if the black employee has a file that is loaded with documented disciplinary action and write-ups for various workplace offenses.
My coworker is a white female nurse with 27 years of experience in this field. She used to be a nurse manager, but stepped down from the position due to the low pay and increased responsibilities. Anyhow, a black employee filed a lawsuit against her for discrimination. The black employee made the claim that the white nurse manager was racist. This case made it all the way to court.
While on the witness stand, my white coworker displayed pictures of her family to the judge and jury. The pictures showed her black husband, four biracial children, and eight biracial grandchildren. She didn't have to say much, because the pictures spoke one thousand words.
Kudos to your employer for allowing it to get that far. Too often rather than rock the boat or be branded employers settle. I worked for an insurance company that fired the only black engineer in the department and he sued. Rather than fight they settled and paid out $25,000 (a lot of money in the early 80's) even though they were justified in firing him.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
In my humble opinion, I think we've digressed somewhat due to a small handful of people who have attempted to discount or dismiss our deeply personal experiences as nurses of color. I'll readily admit that I bear some culpability in this slight digression.
Back to the original question at hand: I am a black female nurse, and I personally find that it is sometimes hard being a nurse of color. To the OP: I dearly hope I've answered your thought-provoking query to the best of my ability. :)
of how it was even during the MLK days. That really amazes me. I have to tell THEM about Bull Connor and his dogs and his cold water hoses. I have to tell THEM about lunch counter sit-in's, Freedom Riders, and lots of other aspects of those days that are forever marked in my memory because I saw them on TV. They have never been told they couldn't sit wherever they liked, shop in any store, apply for any job. They are products of busing to suburban schools. A couple of them are very disrespectful of my being the RN and I have to take a gentle, motherly stance with them to get them to do things that I, as the RN, believe need doing. I know they all know how to do my job, 
being CNA's, but I'd somehow like to continue my little delusion that I am actually the decision-maker, since I am the one whose license is on the line. 
crackerjack
115 Posts
While I don't know for certain anyone's intent, I honestly don't think that is meant in a derogatory manner. I think it is simply the vast age difference that causes an elderly person to refer to those so much younger than them as such. I have a CRNA at work who is truly not much older than me (I'm 41) who refers to me as 'kid' on occasion. I do not take offense, I take it as a sweet compliment. I do tend to look much younger than my age and as a 20-something that was such a bad thing to me but now I recognize that it was a wonderful gift LOLOL I just hope I can maintain that well into old-age ROFL