Looking for fellow black nurses!

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I am looking for other black nurses (actually minority nurses) to communicate and network with. Although I come from an area with a pretty even mix of races in the nursing field there are very few other black nurses, I have dealt with many unique experiences and I would like to hear what others are going through, triumphs, successes, let downs, failures......I have looked everywhere and I can not find any group to fill this need. This is the largest nursing network on the web right now so I know that we are here!

Hi!!!!

I graduated this December with my BSN and plan to take my boards in Jan (???), and move to Texas :-)

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Yes it is important but the point you dont understand is that even when an introduction is given some people just dont get it...they want the "real" nurse. If you have experienced it you will know exactly what it is. I know it happens to men as well. People have an image of what the nurse should look like in their head, and if you dont meet that criteria...they don't get it.

The comment about the hair I so get it, I have very long natural hair and no one believes that it is mine and then they always want to touch it *** who touches their nurses hair???? And the comment I dont have a problem with you people lol heard that a lot in school.

Blackheart we definatly have issues unique to our race and culture and you will see if you follow the thread others will try to discount what is going on for something else like the introduce yourself comment.... Trust me even when we do introduce ourselves this happens sometimes.

I agree all nurses need to support each other but that is not always the case and I am so glad to meet other AA nurses It makes me feel like I am not alone in this!

When I younger I always imagine a nurse as a white women in her 40a or 50s,obese and with a short hair....I dont know why I always imagined nurses like that...

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.

Howdy all.

Puertorican RN here. One of 2 that graduated out of a class of 95 students. I believe 3 were AA and two were asian.

Ive had issues as well sadly. And i am often asked if i am the housekeeper or the Aide...sad that I only have 2 options. Lol. And we even wear uniforms here that only nurses wear.

I had a lot of my teachers tell me they were proud of me as i was in school. I think they were glad to see someone succeed where many had failed esp d/t some hardships i had early in life.

I life my job, I graduated with an ASN and will continue to pursue my education until I see fit to stop.

Loving this thread. :D Keep on truckin. lol.

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Specializes in Trauma, Cardiac Cath/Special procedures.
I was thinking the same thing. In my area, I am the minority. In my class of 30 there are three caucasian people. I dont understand why there is such a rift and need to separate. I know I am going to get SLAMED for this one but really? In my class, we are a family... not black, white, blue, pink, or brown. When we separate ourselves and push others out, that is when we create racism in our generation. We are ALL nurses or trying to achieve that name. I am not a white nursing student, my best friend in class is not a latino nursing student... we are all students trying to reach ONE goal. When we introduce ourselves, we do not say "Hi, My name is Jennifer and I will be your white/black/latino/etc nurse today". We have to all stick together and be one group. Until that happens, there will always be hate and I for one am tired of it.

I will say one more thing, what would happen if I started a thread that was "Looking for fellow white nurses!". What if I put down posts that were not of my view? I know I am already going to get hated on for this but I had to say it. I am tired of people separating themselves. If you try to tell me that I have never felt the anguish of ethnic hate, believe me I have. Like I already said, I am a minority in this town. But I am not going to look for other white people to congregate with so that I feel more secure in my skin. I will keep trucking on as a person not as a skin.

good morning JRW, i can understand where you are coming from! in my nursing class we are all the same people(students) scrambling around creating care plans, studying all hours of the night, calling and supporting each other, attempting to achieve a common goal. BUT, the reality of the situation is that once we all graduate, we are seen as individuals and i just have to say it,but color is always seen 1st then your credentials.

it is not this post that you should be making your statements to, but to, society as a whole.

have YOU ever been referred to as "you people"? have YOU ever been told "its good to see you people moving up?" ........... i have and it's not cool! this is 2009 going on 2010 what's up with that?

and one more thing, did you read any of these posts before you wrote yours? i don't recall anyone saying that they felt "insecure in their skin", i believe this is a thread to start a network of African American nurses with an open invitation to anyone who would like to share experiences and successes or just to vent frustrations of the day with others who can relate.

Have a good day:smokin:

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Specializes in Acute Rehab.

Hey guys!

I'm a male african american RN student. I graduate in december 2010. Nice to meet yu all

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HI! jrw03282009,

I understand fully what your saying...we are all nurses and have job to do...why keep separating us. In my class it was only 4 minorities, out of 30 nurses. I love my classmates and met some good friends, which I still keep in contact with. However, once you get out there to work, that's when reality kicks in and you notice there is a different vibe in the air.

Many of the Caucasian nurses that I went to school with warn me about certain facilities and told me straight up don't even apply there, to save me from the hardship. Which is really sad and hurtful:o...I guess it's really hard to understand if you're not the one who has to deal with this.

On the positive side, I have had some really good experiences and learn a lot about nursing as well as people.We all wish that everyone would be treated fair and equal but the reality is we are not. I know that everyone is not racist and most are just a little skeptical because this is not what they are "use to". So to overcome that, I make sure I build that trusting relationship to at least give them that "peace of mind" and most of the time it works...and eventually they see me as the nurse not just the black nurse. :D

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Specializes in Cardiac Care, Palliative Care.

This was supposedly starting out to be a positive thread for black nurses that wanted to communicate with each other. This forum have one for particularly for men and disabled nurses. But what other posts have been saying was the stereotypes that as black nurses they have gone through. I myself as a LPN and recent graduate nurse has put up with people who automatically view me as a CNA and make comments such as "you colored people" or "I don't want a ****** as my nurse." This was some of the concerns that some black nurses have had to put up with. If you, as a white nurse, didn't like the topic, you really didn't have to click on it, or even leave a reply that was basically telling us to shut up and put up. It will be nice if, just not in the nursing community, but in society as a whole that blacks and other minority groups are treated equally. But just because you don't seem to think that we are no different than blacks doesn't mean all whites have the same view.

Again, this thread was started by someone who wanted to communicate with other black nurses. I really don't understand why you took it so personally? Why did the topic "Looking for fellow black nurses" rubbed you in a bad way.

Blacks have been trying for the longest to be included to be integrated with everyone else, but there are quite a few non-blacks who believe we still are inferior and should be segregated from everyone else. I would LOVE to not have to read about, hear about in the news, and have said to my face racists comments regarding blacks. You are attacking the wrong group. Talk to the ones who believe blacks are still inferior, uneducated, who still says hurtful racist comments.

I was thinking the same thing. In my area, I am the minority. In my class of 30 there are three caucasian people. I dont understand why there is such a rift and need to separate. I know I am going to get SLAMED for this one but really? In my class, we are a family... not black, white, blue, pink, or brown. When we separate ourselves and push others out, that is when we create racism in our generation. We are ALL nurses or trying to achieve that name. I am not a white nursing student, my best friend in class is not a latino nursing student... we are all students trying to reach ONE goal. When we introduce ourselves, we do not say "Hi, My name is Jennifer and I will be your white/black/latino/etc nurse today". We have to all stick together and be one group. Until that happens, there will always be hate and I for one am tired of it.

I will say one more thing, what would happen if I started a thread that was "Looking for fellow white nurses!". What if I put down posts that were not of my view? I know I am already going to get hated on for this but I had to say it. I am tired of people separating themselves. If you try to tell me that I have never felt the anguish of ethnic hate, believe me I have. Like I already said, I am a minority in this town. But I am not going to look for other white people to congregate with so that I feel more secure in my skin. I will keep trucking on as a person not as a skin.

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.
When I younger I always imagine a nurse as a white women in her 40a or 50s,obese and with a short hair....I dont know why I always imagined nurses like that...

LOL I think you are talking about me!!

Seriously I am saddened by the way we treat each other, all I know is I have no interest in what 'color' anybody is. I respect all people for their culture, race and love hearing about different idea's, FOOD and belief systems.

I care more about how I treat people, how they treat me and what I can do to make somebody feel good about theirselves. I always knew I was different when I was a child growing up when a girl in my class who had glasses on was bullied because she wore glasses-I couldnt understand why the girls were so cruel and I stuck up for her time and time again, we were 6 yrs old at the time. So you can only imagine how i am now as a grown middle aged woman I just cannot tolerate any bad feelings towards other.

Sorry if I hijacked the thread but I simple do not understand why people are treated differently or badly because of their color-it just makes me exasperated. In fact I would go as far to say I just cannot get my head round why anybody would disrespect anybody because of the color of their skin. I just dont understand it.

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I was thinking the same thing. In my area, I am the minority. In my class of 30 there are three caucasian people. I dont understand why there is such a rift and need to separate. I know I am going to get SLAMED for this one but really? In my class, we are a family... not black, white, blue, pink, or brown. When we separate ourselves and push others out, that is when we create racism in our generation. We are ALL nurses or trying to achieve that name. I am not a white nursing student, my best friend in class is not a latino nursing student... we are all students trying to reach ONE goal. When we introduce ourselves, we do not say "Hi, My name is Jennifer and I will be your white/black/latino/etc nurse today". We have to all stick together and be one group. Until that happens, there will always be hate and I for one am tired of it.

I will say one more thing, what would happen if I started a thread that was "Looking for fellow white nurses!". What if I put down posts that were not of my view? I know I am already going to get hated on for this but I had to say it. I am tired of people separating themselves. If you try to tell me that I have never felt the anguish of ethnic hate, believe me I have. Like I already said, I am a minority in this town. But I am not going to look for other white people to congregate with so that I feel more secure in my skin. I will keep trucking on as a person not as a skin.

Hi jrw03282009;

You stated in your post that "we have to all stick together and be one group..." You're absolutely right. We all need to stick together. But I think you miss the basic premise of the OP's goal which was to bring folks together to share their insight and experiences...good, bad, happy, sad. Not to separate. And guess what ...even when we stick together it should be okay for us to recognize and celebrate our differences. THAT is the point of this thread.

Also when you read this thread (or any one for that matter on allnurses) just take it as an opportunity to learn or see things from a different perspective. You don't have to agree but you can respect that person's opinion and agree to disagree.

Finally, you stated that you were not "going to look for other white people to congregate with so that you felt more secure in my skin." That's awesome you feel secure in your skin but you stated yourself that you feel the hate and anguish of ethnic hate...I don't know about you but that's got to feel uncomfortable no matter what skin you're in.

The point is...you are welcome to share your experiences...I just hope that we all can keep this thread POSITIVE and CONSTRUCTIVE.

Good Luck to you in your RN program!

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Don't focus on color so much. This is a forum for all nurses. Why segregate yourself? All people see is color in human beings and for what reason!

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Specializes in Med Surg; OB.

jrw03282009, I don't think you (or other white people) can possibly understand what racism and the so called sterotypes that plague the black race because you are what patients and society expects a professional nurse (or any other professional for that matter) to look like. Yes you may have well been a minority in your nursing program but 95% of the time we are the minority all of the time. In my program I was 1 of 6 African Americans, and no other ethnic group represented in a class of 62 students! The whole college was predominately white so that should tell you something.

We are not trying to separate ourselves the OP wanted to connect with other black nurses and there's nothing wrong with that. And the thing about you starting thread "looking for fellow white nurses" you really don't need to because most of these threads/forums are of/from white nurses.

Blaquediamondz RN, BSN

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Don't focus on color so much. This is a forum for all nurses. Why segregate yourself? All people see is color in human beings and for what reason!

We would love to not focus on color but unfortunately that is the way it is. My bestfriend is White and while doing her clinicals she said she heard some hurtful things said about African Americans:o. I am not liking what this thread has turned into:angryfire. Now it has turned into us trying to explain ourselves and it is not what the OP asked for. :twocents:

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