It's sometimes hard being a nurse of color isn't it?

Nurses General Nursing

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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?

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.
I can't let stupid people be my problem.

Love this...LOL...

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Specializes in acute care.

My last patient as an HHA called my the N word on a daily basis. In fact he also called me the B word, H word, the S word (rhymes with Luke, but with an SP), every degrading word you can think of. He believed that black women were only good for paid sex. Why I kept him as a patient I don't know. Finally, I got so fed up with it and let him know how hurtful it was to be called these things and asked how he could treat me like this, after everything I do for him. He apologized. He was still a nasty patient after that and still cursed at me, but he stopped calling me the N word.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Today I was asked "can I speak to Dawne". I said "that's me, I'm Don". Her "No the Dawne, I'm looking for is a female because she's the charge nurse." Um....I'm male and I'm the charge nurse.

No way does this equate to the prejudices people of color face. Good thread.

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.
Nursing to me a very humbling profession. You get and go to work to take of others; a job that not many people could do. Being discriminated against on the basis of your race, or anything else is unfortunate. What makes it even worse is that when you find yourself the only person of color at your job, you don't get much support from your co-workers either. I once had a patient question my credentials, and then tell me the didn't want a (insert racial slur here) touching them. I immediately went to my charge nurse and nm about this. The assignment was switched, but later I was told how nice this particular pt was, and that perhaps he was just in a bad mood, and asked did I smile and introduce myself when I went in the room. I felt so insulted! I couldn't even hold back my tears. The lack of sensitivity and support from co-workers makes racial bias even worse. I was told by a good friend/ mentor that nurses are people too, and unfortunately somehave the same issues. I could go on with a few examples to prove that point as well but I won't. I know not everyone is like that. Luckily, I relocated to a more diverse area. I'm sorry I'm rambling, but no one should have to deal with sort of thing at work or anywhere else.

I can relate. In my experience, management or others who cannot relate, will find and excuss the behavior. "Oh they are old", "They are just having a bad day" etc. No one ever validates our feelings or carelessly and perhaps unintentional dismisses it.

I just shrug it off and realize things aren't going to get better in my lifetime so I might as well not hurt.

I am truly proud of my ethnicity and I am blessed to be bilingual and help more ppl.

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.
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.

I can VERY much relate, I am 25. To add to "cute" names we get called, I dislike being called the "Mexican lil' girl" NOT all hispanics are Mexican (or illegal) and certaintly they don't go around calling others "white girl" etc..........maybe I do take it to the heart afterall...........Sigh :uhoh3:

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.
Today I was asked "can I speak to Dawne". I said "that's me, I'm Don". Her "No the Dawne, I'm looking for is a female because she's the charge nurse." Um....I'm male and I'm the charge nurse.

No way does this equate to the prejudices people of color face. Good thread.

Maybe they assumed you were the doc;)

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I have been discriminated against because I am fat and homely. I have also had patients assume I'm everything (housekeeping, cafeteria worker, tech, etc) other than a nurse. I admit, I dress kind of raddy and look very humble and the OB nurse who took care of me when I had my baby asked if I was a "tech" when I mentioned I understood the stress of working in the health care field after she apologized for being out of the room for so long.

Then she looked taken back when I mentioned I was an RN.

I have had patients in home health refuse to have me back. I never got an exact answer as to why but I guess it is because of the way I look.

Even in my personal relationships I am discriminated against. My husband doesn't find me attractive, he never has. He doesn't want me in any pictures, he doesn't even want me to have his last name. I'm a reject to him, but four kids later what is the point in kicking him to the curb now?

I understand how it could feel to be discriminated against because of who you are. My family is very colorful: my husband is Italian and while my kids all look different my oldest son is the most ethnic-looking-dark hair and eyes and dark complected. A couple of weeks ago he mentioned that the only kids who would play with him were the Mexican kids, everyone thinks he is Mexican and the white kids play separate. I say, to he!! with those other kids. I have a neice and nephew who are 1/2 black and a niece and nephew who are 1/2 hispanic and I care for them every bit as much as I care for my white nieces and nephews. In fact, when I think of them their color doesn't factor in at all.

*hugs*

Everyone has a unique beauty and grace. And, I can guarantee that everyone is beautiful to somebody.

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Hi there,

Yes, I agree with you. I am not a RN (rencent grad though) and phlebotomist. I have experienced discrimination from patients and even have one asked to have a non-colored student assigned in one of my clinical rotations. While drawing blood on my clients I have gotten very rude remarks and assumptions as to where I live or am from. I have even been asked to practically prove I am a citizen (I was born here but parents are hispanic immigrants from Puerto Rico). Yes, I do have a slight Spanish accent. It's very sad at times more than upsetting.

I carry myself in a very professional way, but unfortunately I can't hide my skin color and so some ppl treat us differently.

I can't wait to see how I will be treated as an RN. During clinicals, I would get puzzled faces when I would introduce as the student nurse and got interrogated many times.

It's a sticky topic and there will be many who cannot understand because they have never lived it or because they are not colored.

Keep your head up, I do.......some people are very ignorant and it is not worth taking it to the heart. I learned not to.

Jess

Thank you for your response. I see you got a double-whammy being Puerto Rican. People will assume that you are Mexican and that you are here illegally. If the same people paid attention to detail, they would see that Puerto Ricans and Mexicans/Central Americans look nothing alike. They would also know that there are immigrants of every nationality and many nationalities speak Spanish. Also all Latinos are not Mexican and all Mexicans are not illegal. I just don't see how some people can really truly be so ignorant. But, I better believe it because I see it everyday. I'm sorry for your experience. I feel and share your pain. Keep your head up as will I.

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I'm not excusing people's prejudices but maybe you can look forward to taking care of patients of color who perk up and are relieved at having 'someone like them' as their nurse.

I do think it's human nature to prefer the familiar - people "like us." Thus, we may find comfort in realizing that someone went to the same school we went to or belongs to the same religious group or enjoys the same kind of music as we do, etc. That doesn't mean I think we should treat people differently or assume that the unfamiliar is bad or inferior.

I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to feel one's professionalism constantly questioned, even if only by subtle shifts in attitude.

Thank you for responding. You bring up a valid point about like people associating and having an affinity for one another. I understand that because it's true. But, when it comes to someone having the nerve to be offended because I am there to care for them is really something I won't ever understand. I sometimes believe some of these bigots would be upset if they found out I ever did something to save their life. And it hurts because some people can be so mean about it.

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Kanani,

Yes, unfortunately I do know where you are coming from. I am half black and half white, however, I consider myself black, and when asked I say that I'm black. Thankfully, I do not have that problem right now because the hospital I work at has majority black patients.

In my last job, most of the patients were white and on more than one occasion there were patients who requested only white nurses, and that's fine just as long as I'm not verbally abused by racial slurs.

I go to work everyday willing and ready to care for ALL, but if some do not want my care because I'm black then so be it.

Take care!

Thanks for your reply. I am about to the point where I am saying I don't care. I want in my heart not to be offended by the way some people behave towards people that are different from them, but I guess it bothers me because it's so silly for someone to be that way. Over something as simple as skin color and ethnicity. Wow. How much hate does someone have to have in their heart to care about the color of their caregiver's skin.

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I understand completely what you are talking about. i work on a unit where for the longest time i was the only african american nurse working there (excluding the occasional pool nurse). i have experienced the looks of surprise when i have introduced myself as their nurse. (i once had a pts wife shoo me out of the room, demanding privacy, only to later apologize to me " i had no idea the you were his nurse!" she said to me, somewhat embarassed) i usually ignore the looks/comments. i am here to provide the best care for my patients regardless of their race, sex or religion. i expect the same respect. once they get to know me, they usually relax and become more comfortable around me ("wow, you really know your stuff!")

my mother always taught me that if someone had a problem with me b/c of my skin color, it was THEIR problem, not mine, and to treat everyone with respect.

~shakira

Thank you for responding.

Oh, I've had one family member to tell me to be quiet when I was attempting to explain something to them about their loved one's care. I was like, excuse me, after hearing how you say nurses don't take time to talk with the patient and their family, I can't believe you just said that to me. Now, if I had been short and abrupt, then they would have had something to say about that. Sometimes you can't win for losing. But, like you said, usually, (sometimes) after these same patients get to know you, they fall in love with you. I just want to know why I have to get the primary cold shoulder.

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I hope to be like all of you. To be able to carry myself with dignity, and be able to provide patient care regardless of what their individual feelings for me are. I havent encountered racism from patients personally, Coworkers are a different story.

Thank you for your words of encouragement..

Oh, thank you. Don't worry, you will be a great nurse with dignity and respect. You will stand strong in the face of adversity. You have it in you. And I hope that this discussion opens the doors for others to understand this situation and experience.

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