WARNING: This is a controversial topic. Some readers may object to the viewpoints to be posted within. If you are one that cannot tolerate controversy, you have the right to not read this thread. Otherwise, all viewpoints are welcome.
Hello, this is Olive Vines here. I have been wanting to post a thread on this topic for a while. However, I have postponed doing that until now.
My observation is one that many minority nurses can relate too. Especially minorties in small southern towns such as the one I reside in. Here we go.
It seems to me that non-white, non-female nurses have the hardest time getting a job outside of acute care facilities. I live in a small town that is about an hour away from a metropolitan area. I have noticed that when it comes to needing nurses, a lot of physician offices, healthcare clinics, schools seem to overlook equally qualified minority nurses. I am including male nurses as being a minority because that is what they are in this profession.
When I take my daughter or accompany my mother to the doctor's or dentist's office, the staff is 9 times out of 10, overwhelmingly caucasian. But on the other hand, you go to any hospital and you will find that black females abd male nurses account for a large percentage of staff in those areas. We all know that non-acute care can be stressful, but not as near as stressful as primary care or any other branch of nursing. I see this strange trend in long term care facilities as well.
The only places where I have seen the exception is in large metropolitan areas where white people do not tend to reside. And I see a lot of black and male nurses relocating to Birmingham and Atlanta to get top notch jobs because the opportunities have been denied in small cities such as where I live. And while most of the jobs they garner happen to be in acute care facilities in those large cities, there seems to be more job satisfaction for some reason.
And while I'm on the topic. I also have noticed that I have better nights when most of my patients are African-American. Those patients tend to be less demanding of my time and take me more seriously as a health-care provider. But, on the other hand, when I have white patients, especially older white males, I see myself being ran up and down the hall for the non-essential things. And also, I get a lot of lip from the patient as to what they are NOT going to do or what medicine they are NOT going to take until they talk to their doctor. But, hold it right there, here's the kicker. When a nurse, who happens to be white, has had that same patient before, they seem not get that same attitude or disrespect from that same patient. They get a very nice, compliant patient while I put up with crap from them.
And one last thing, and this is just a personal vent: I am so tired of being mistaken for Environmental Services, Dietary or the PCA by white patients. And this is all while I have my namebadge that has RN, BSN on it. That's a big pet peeve of mine.
Now, I welcome any viewpoints on this topic because I feel it needs to be addressed. With a nursing shortage, why be so picky? Why do minorities have to be destined to work in acute care while white female nurses can have their pick and choose? And why aren't male nurses as accepted by older patients as female nurses are? And before I get bashed and called out for being prejudiced against whites, let me just say, my father is white so that pretty much kills that notion. I just call it like I see it and what I experience. What do you all think? I welcome all with open arms and I promise, I will not be offended by anything you say.
I'm in the south also, and I grieve every time I see someone judged by the outside rather than what is inside. There is no excuse viable enough for this.
I so agree with motorcycle mama. I live in the deep south. I am also white. If your family tree cannot be traced to the Mayflower, you are NOTHING. I keep looking for that southern hospitality.
Thanks for posting this. It is very enlightening, especially the part about the police response to a crime against you as a black women.
I am white and have worked as a NA, and rarely have seen a white NA. I think there is definately a tendency to see black women as strong and independent, able to take care of themselves. I think this is well founded in my experience, yet to have this result in less consideration for a afroamerican women who is a victum of a crime is just appalling.
I do think if you apply for jobs in more metro areas, even in the suburbs of those areas, you will find there is less prejudice.
God bless, and good luck!
Thank you so very much for your words of encouragement. I definitely will consider that. I think I've always wanted to do so, but I think I've been hesitant because I'm so afraid that the city life will be so hard on me. I will keep you updated. And thank you so very much for everything.
People want to say that because New Orleans was mostly black the govt. left them to themselves. However, the Mississippi Gulf Coast is 80% white and these folks were left to themselves as well. Was the abandoment of the Gulf Coast an act against white Southners? Anybody can holler descrimination. And please forgive me if I sound irritated, but I am. I grew up as a white male in central Mississippi and let me tell you, you are not the only one who can gripe about the "other ones" being mean to you. I cant even drive through my old neighborhood in Jackson (which is now mostly black) without being hollered at by black men to get out. As far as your black patients being so kind to you, I glad to hear that. Maybe we can trade because mine generally cop an attitude the second I walk into the room. Of course, the moderater will say I am inflammatory for saying this but the original poster can get by with saying that the black pts. are nicer than the white ones and it' all good.
I feel that both instances are unfortunate and the response was inadequate and slow to both regions. It doesn't matter if they were black or white, the bottom line is that America often overlooks the underpriviledged period. But, I must continue to say that the socioeconomic factor was the only thing that was against the whites in the gulfcoast region. Black people have an additional strike against them and that is their skin color.
True,anybody can holler discrimination. But black people have faced tremendous discrimination and brutality righ here in America. And that has been on a way larger scale than any other minority in this country's history. So, many black people have been treated very unfairly and it's not right and it needs to change.
We must all accept one another. There are many ethnicities that make up America and we all are a part of this country. All of our ancestors participated in the birth and upbringing of this country. No one group is any more entitled than any other.
Now, I am disheartened to hear that you are taunted as you drive through Jackson. That's not right for anybody to do. They do not have to right to do that to you. There are racist in every color. But on the other hand, how many times have a black family attempted to buy a house in a majority white surburbian neighborhood only to be denied because the white residents objected or didn't want them there?
And forgive me for this as well, but I'm pretty sure that you growing up as a white male in Mississippi was not plagued with the racial discrimination a black male of the same age probably faced while growing up in that state. My grandmother has told me stories of traveling on the highway only during the day because of the fear nightfall put into the hearts of black people. I remember riding on Hwy 78 (Old Birmingham Hwy) to Birmingham. It was dark. I remember my grandfather telling me to turn the turn the dome light off in the car. I asked why. He said because people might try to hurt you if they see that we are black. And this was in the mid-1980s when I was 7 years old. My grandfather had lived through the Jim Crow era. He still had fear in his heart.
And it didn't stop there. When I was 16 years old, I remember I having to go through Tupelo, Mississippi on the way to Memphis before the interstate route originated. I remember going into a local Hardee's with my mom and let me tell you, we got the stare of 1,000 deaths. We were the only black people there. The cashier wouldn't even take our order. She looked dead at us and continued to take other customer's orders who were behind us in line. My mom said, "Excuse me, miss" and the lady totally ignored him and we left. Now, why did us being there warrant that type of reception/stares? And aren't I entitled to live and work in a nice small town, too?
I am not against you, I am with you. I feel male nurses face discrimination from so many patients that it's ridiculous. I'm sorry you experienced what you did. The world is just no good anymore. What happened to love in this world?
yikes, this is a touchy subject. i am nursing in the state of minnesota. there is a small percentage of african-american nurses where i work, but not many. i am in a clinic setting. i am thinking it is the area you live in? where there are higher percentages of minorities. just keep praying and keep a positive attitude and things will turn out the way they are meant to be. i sincerely hope you get the job that you dream of.
kn
hello, and thank you for your response.
i would like to say it's because of where i live. but isn't it sad? the minorities all seem to settle mostly in the large metropolitan areas such as birmingham and atlanta. but, my town isn't large, but we have a prominent number of black people living here. especially in the more central areas as opposed to the outlying areas.
thank you so much for your best wishes. i will pray and keep praying. i think i sometimes dwell too much on things that i cannot change. that is one of my faults. i guess i believe that injustices should be corrected. but, we all know that rome wasn't built in a day and i need to gradually go at it. i guess i'm just one of the types that hate to just sit back and accept things that are not right. i hope the lord grants me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change and know the difference between what i can and cannot change.
God, what a somber yet infuriating situation. with my rose tinted glasses i would love to believe that prejudice is long gone. yet it literally sickens me to learn that not much has changed in the south. there are no easy answers. in regards to yourself personally, you can continue to treat others w/respect and simultaneously instill a zero tolerance policy with regards to prejudices aimed at you. keep your head up. for those that treat you poorly, be thankful you don't have their mentality. although you would love to get a job in the small town where you live, it doesn't seem it's going to be an immediate reality. again, you're dealing with very small minds. seek opportunities outside of your comfort zone. i detest racial indignence with a vengeance. i see the prejudice from white to black, and from black to white. when will the madness end? but it is important to acknowledge that the prejudice still exists. continue to be the excellent nurse you are; focus on blooming into everything you can be. do not let these subcultures drag you down. yes it sucks. but i don't want to fight a bunch of people with atrophied brains. i don't want any of them in my life, period. just go and shine where others will appreciate your brilliance. and realize that everyone is not like this.
with peace,
leslie
Thank you so much for that enlightenment. I know that one day, righteousness will triumph all. May God bless you and keep you.
Exactly. I live in Biloxi, MS, so I know firsthand what a wonderful response we received. I don't believe the lack of response was due to race, though. It could have just been our government's usual swift response to anything, whether it's passing laws or helping in a disaster. If anything, it could be a class issue. Let's face it. A lot of us southerners aren't exactly in the upper class. Like Josifek said above, New Orleans is 80% black and we're 80% white, but believe me, we were suffering just the same. There may have been an isolated incident here or there where maybe some aid made it into MS a little earlier than New Orleans, and then some @$$hole decided to report it in order to inspire anger and resentment. But, on the whole, we were just as ignored as New Orleans.
As for not being able to get hired, I really feel for you. I haven't had it happen often, but when it does, I'm not happy. I remember applying at several different auto parts stores for a part-time job and the guys giving me this look like "You're a girl, why are you even trying?" Needless to say, I wasn't hired at any of them. I had the qualifications by the way. Anyway, I did not like that feeling at all, so it really makes me sad that black people go through this type of thing their entire lives. I couldn't deal with that type of treatment.
It gets hard sometimes, but then I meet wonderful people of all walks of life and that encourages me. I know that it's not everyone. But I guess the bad experiences stand out in my mind.
I'm in the south also, and I grieve every time I see someone judged by the outside rather than what is inside. There is no excuse viable enough for this.
It's so disheartening. But good people such as you and the others make life worth living through the rough times.
I so agree with motorcycle mama. I live in the deep south. I am also white. If your family tree cannot be traced to the Mayflower, you are NOTHING. I keep looking for that southern hospitality.
Ain't that the truth. I've wondered where the southern hospitality has gone as well.
Where I work the RN's are 90% Philippino and at night, I'm the only "token white girl" on my unit. They talk in their language to each other so who knows what they say. Anyway, I don't live in the south and couldn't. I see your point and I would really suggest you at least move to a "blue state" where things are a bit more socially progressive. I unfortunationally don't either and I've even noticed discrimination- against males, blacks, Philippino's sometimes, even whites. People that are racist are not usually friendly, positive people- period. I've worked with some Agency black male RN's and they seem to do okay (maybe they just don't say anything) and we do get Agency black (and white) male CNA's. (We have a lot of Agency). I've had people request someone else to care for them/bathe them and the thing is, I'm overworked as it is- usually don't get a lunch, so I just tell them okay- but you won't get a bed bath or sheet changed, or fresh water and juice, and if you need a bed pan- hold it till morning when someone else comes on. In other words, NOW is the time to GET OVER IT. I can't change people's antiqued attitutes but I will not enable them. If they won't take their meds from you or what not, I would just write REFUSED. And that of course would include pain meds. The thing is people like that need to just get over themselves and realize this is not NOT 1950 anymore and they are lucky to have a nurse at all with today's greedy coorporations. Also, IN GENERAL, I have noticed black and hispanic patients are much less demanding and "needy" than White's and Asians. I have nothing against any of those people, but that's just my observation from MY experiences in MY location.
Hello, Tweety, and thank you for responding. Thank you for your kind words as well. What part of the country do you reside? Is your town or city more diverse in the makeup of your population. I would love to live where everyone mixes together easily and gets along. I feel that we are stuck in a time warp around here. The rest of the country is moving on and our race relations are so stagnant. It's time for people to accept one another and respect each others differences.
With the baby boomer generation coming into the healthcare system sicker and sicker, we need everyone who wants to make a difference to be able to do that. And everyone should have equal opportunity.
Hi. I live in St. Petersburg. There are racial problems here, and blacks are a smaller minority than I'm used to after living in Atlanta and North Carolina. Unfortunately it's not without problems, as we've had unrest with rioting after a white cop killed a black teen in the midst of a crime. The racism works both with ways with some blacks being a bit mistrustful and prejudiced against the white. Sometimes it takes me all day to win over a black patient and their family, because they think because they are black I don't care as much about their loved one's needs. (However, the hospital I work is the hosipital of choice for the black community). Just being honest.
However, I live in a part of town (the only mixed neighborhood in the city/county) that is very mixed where black and white live side by side, solidly middle class, united in common community goals and it's quite peaceful.
It is long time we set aside race as a barrier to health care providers advancing in our profession.
Personally, while I love the South with my heart and soul, you couldn't pay me enough money to live in a small town in the South.
Personally, while I love the South with my heart and soul, you couldn't pay me enough money to live in a small town in the South.
QUOTE]
I have had the opportunity to live in Miami, Frankfurt, Athens, Charlotte, Washington D.C., Trenton N.J., and a couple of small towns in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. Race relations are MUCH worst in larger cities. Give me the true South ANYDAY.
And if you don't like the South- then kiss my grits ya'll:chair: - (Joke here please no flames.)
P_RN, ADN, RN
6,011 Posts
I'm in the south also, and I grieve every time I see someone judged by the outside rather than what is inside. There is no excuse viable enough for this.