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.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Everyone discriminates to an extent. We temper this by opening our minds to the experiences and words of others around us----and imagine if you agreed with the other person in his/her passion, when you are hearing words you do not like. All of us feel great passion about things (if we are alive). The great challenge to all of us, regardless of religious/spiritual beliefs or tenets, is to survive being placed on this planet together and trying to get along.
Hi, I To Am A Minority Nurse And Yes You Are Righht That We Do Not Always Get Treated The same as Our White Counter Parts, But I Always Take Pride In The Fact That When A Family Member( I Work In Management A Long-term Care Facilty) Or Resident Meets Me I Can Say Oh, By The Way I'm The Nurse Manager Actually I Get More Discrimination From My Co-workers Or Supervisors Than The Residents!
I have a question, and I don't mean to offend anyone here, let me say that up front. I'm not venting or flaming.
I am a white female. When I was in high school, I worked as a cashier in a grocery store. I was cheerful and talkative with all my customers. But I noticed several black women who would come through that would often avoid eye contact, ignore my greetings or questions, and avoid physically touching me, such as when I was returning their change. They would never speak to me, although they might speak to their friends or family members who were with them, and a few would behave as if they were slightly repelled by me. Some were young, some were old.
When I spoke to my parents about it, they concurred that while I had never personally offended these women, they had probably been raised with this mentality, and were not necessarily being racist. Or perhaps they had been treated badly by white people in the past. (I took all this as the excuse given for this behavior.)
However, I notice that when it is a white person behaving impolitely toward a black person for presumably race-related reasons, it never seems to be concluded that said white person must have been raised with that mentality, and were not necessarily being racist, or that perhaps they were once treated badly by black people in the past. It is always concluded that said white person is racist, period.
I understand the touchy nature of this issue and that the entire matter is still very inflamatory in this nation, especially politically. But to this day I've never fully understood this. Being that there are numerous African-American posters involved in this thread, maybe one of you can help me understand this situation from your perspective?
I would have posted this earlier, but I had an appointment.
No offense to anyone, but it is very difficult for me to believe that black people are discriminated against these days - why?
I'm white, and I cannot even count the number of examples I have seen of black people being shielded from the consequences of unprofessional behavior - simply because of their race.
A black nurse coming to work and finding that she doesn't like her patient assignment - no c/o anything until she gets assigned a patient with AIDS - states she won't take care of them, then pleading sick, clocking out and leaving, and superiors refuse to do anything about it....why? "We can't PROVE she wasn't sick..."
(Even though she announced she wouldn't take care of an AIDS patient)
Black Unit Secretaries screaming down the hall at white nurses....black nurse aides refusing to do their jobs....while the white CNAs work......in different areas of the country.
They get away with alot, I have seen it myself.....they don't face the same discipline or the same consequences that their white counterparts do. It's a fact of life in healthcare.
The race card is firmly in alot of back pockets these days....ready to be whipped out when needed, and administration knows this and caves into it.
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.
Are you from the same area I came from? NW Alabama?
I have a question, and I don't mean to offend anyone here, let me say that up front. I'm not venting or flaming.
I am a white female. When I was in high school, I worked as a cashier in a grocery store. I was cheerful and talkative with all my customers. But I noticed several black women who would come through that would often avoid eye contact, ignore my greetings or questions, and avoid physically touching me, such as when I was returning their change. They would never speak to me, although they might speak to their friends or family members who were with them, and a few would behave as if they were slightly repelled by me. Some were young, some were old.
When I spoke to my parents about it, they concurred that while I had never personally offended these women, they had probably been raised with this mentality, and were not necessarily being racist. Or perhaps they had been treated badly by white people in the past. (I took all this as the excuse given for this behavior.)
However, I notice that when it is a white person behaving impolitely toward a black person for presumably race-related reasons, it never seems to be concluded that said white person must have been raised with that mentality, and were not necessarily being racist, or that perhaps they were once treated badly by black people in the past. It is always concluded that said white person is racist, period.
I understand the touchy nature of this issue and that the entire matter is still very inflamatory in this nation, especially politically. But to this day I've never fully understood this. Being that there are numerous African-American posters involved in this thread, maybe one of you can help me understand this situation from your perspective?
Hello, and thanks for responding. If a person is nice to me, I am nice to them. It doesn't matter if they are white, black, green, etc. But, I like I said earlier, you don't know what to expect when interacting with some white people around these parts. I've seen cashiers in Wal-Mart be friendly with a white person in front of me and then when I step up and greet them, they all of sudden give me the cold shoulder. They suddenly get quiet and don't talk to me. I don't know what to make of it but racism. If I am smiling at you and greeting you, why not be friendly back to me? The only difference between me and that person in front of me is that I'm black and they were white. So, i sense that they may not like black people very much.
I definitely always greet the cashiers and ask how they are doing. I used to be a cashier at Wal-Mart and I know how it is. It can be a very socially trying experience. You have people that are downright nasty. Maybe the black people you mentioned are racist. You know there are racist in every ethnic group and that is not acceptable in my eyes. All I can tell you is not to change the way you are. I'm pretty sure you have touched a lot of people with your warmth and don't let those fools get you down.
Are you from the same area I came from? NW Alabama?
Hello, and thank you for responding.
You're close, I'm from NE Alabama. And it seems that this area is really growing rapidly. But race relations are not improving fast enough to me. That will hold us back in the future.
Where I work it's out in the suburbs with a heavy white population but I have taken care of some black patients. Now that you mention it, I don't think any of my black patients ran me ragged.
But I sure have had a lot of white patients - men and women - forget that they aren't the only ones in the hospital! I'd say the ratio of demanding whites vs. demanding blacks is much higher. Some made me feel like they thought I was their personal maid. They ring the bell every 10 minutes it seems.
Prejudice and discrimination still exist. To a shocking extent in some areas.
I lived in California for 15 years and then moved to a certain midwest city. Took a job at a local hospital. Within 2-3 weeks I was told a "jew" signed the checks. A really sweet young white nurse who got along w/ the blacks nurses shocked the heck outta me one day when she told me she was changing her doctor because too many black people were starting to go to the same doctor. My neighbor used the n word. I could relate more
It's like what another person here said, manners or whatever one calls them, seemed to fly out the windows when no minorities were present.
I'm white, in my 40's and I am single without children (by choice). I've run into a fair amount of people who thought I must be gay because it was the only way they could categorize me......
Unfortunately, job discrimination exists everywhere, no matter what your race or national origin is.
My sister, who will be turning 59 next Tuesday actually had a potential employer tell her to her face last year that she didn't want to hire her because she was "afraid that she would get sick". I went ballistic,
when she told me what happened, asking her if she reported this woman and
her employer to the EEOC, for that was pure, unadulturated age
discrimination. "What good will that do?", my sister wanted to know. "It's my word against theirs, and even if I did take them to court, they'd drag it out for years". She finally found a part-time bookeeping job late last year...but only because a former business partner recommended her to one of his customers. Like the old saying, it's not about who you are, but who you know that counts. :angryfire
I had several black patients in LTC, and they were not generally as demanding as the whites.... and oddly, they (the black pts.) preferred me over the other aids though I was (the only) white. Clearly they were not prejudiced towards me because I was white. I seemed to have more in common with my black pts. I don't think it was a class thing, because they spanned over a wide range of professions and experiences.
I did have some problems being a white nursing assistant with some nurses. One told me once, that though I had been requested as a permanent assignee for a group of patient, who themselves were a mixture of races, that they could not give me the assignment "because the other NAs would think I got it because I was white". Funny thing was it was a heavy assignment no one wanted. I would get to work before the other assistants, and though many were actually late, they would choose there assignments and I would get what ever was left. Dont know why that was, but because of other statements made, it may have been my being white.
But then in home health I was told to not do so much for my patients, I was taking too good care of them, and then was given a so so rating....despite the facts my nurses said I was there favorite. I don't think that was racial, just a part of the strange strange flopsy mopsy world of nursing assisting. The mind of a supervisor, who can know it?
I said all this to say that yes, prejudice does cut both ways. But I can in no way equate the inconvenience I have experienced in my life to the true cruelty that I have seen blacks experience.
Town & Country
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Just a reminder: you don't have to be white to be racist.