Minority SRNA/CRNA's

Published

:) Hello I have been a lurker here for quite some time and finally decided to post. I have learned soo much from reading these threads. Allnurses is a great resource! I have been an RN for three years and most of my experience is ER. I have just transferred to SICU/MICU and am considering CRNA school. I have worked at a couple of different hospitals and I have never met an African American CRNA- I live in the Southeast. I am wondering is this the norm nationwide?

Specializes in icu/er.

so if the director was european american, spanish american or someother ethnic/racial make-up you would have been equally disapointed,right?

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Specializes in Cardiac ICU, L&D.
I would bet there is something you are leaving out... on paper you should be admitted....you must interview poorly. I doubt it has anything to do with skin color... trust me on this one,, I used to do the interviews.

So what did you look for in prospective students during interviews?

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Specializes in Anesthesia ICU LTC Dialysis.
So what did you look for in prospective students during interviews?

Hard science grades, communication skills, language skills, work ethic, ability to think under pressure, knowledge of the profession, some humility.. ( It's OK you can lose this when you graduate.)

My PERSONAL favorite is WORK ETHIC...

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okay my fellow aa's please we need to desist from all this rubbish. you are own your own in crna school or nursing school , you choose to hang out with our kind, how would you get the notes or be friends with "whites", please we need to stop this , we can't keep on being spoon fed, take action, study your ass off, make friends with everybody, study together, STOP SEEING COLOR, be different.....i laugh at the poster that said shes dropping out because she didnt get notes and such, ohhh how disgusting, if you read your books you would have passed simple...if grades were based on a bell curve then you prolly would have a lil something to say but its not. you should blame you and yourself only. hopefully you would learn from this.

its funny cause i tell people i want to apply to CRNA school and my fellow BLACKS say "oh that would be almost impossible , they dont accept blacks"...CAN YOU IMAGINE.....YES I AM BLACK BUT THAT DOESNT DEFINE ME AND MY DESIRE TO BECOME A CRNA.

WE NEED TO SPEND MORE TIME GETTING ALONG AND GETTING GOOD GRADES AND NOT ......DROP OUT !!!!!!!!

AND YES I AM BLACK AND PROUD BUT I NEVER BLAME ANYONE FOR MY MISTAKES OR BAD GRADES

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its funny cause i tell people i want to apply to CRNA school and my fellow BLACKS say "oh that would be almost impossible , they dont accept blacks"...CAN YOU IMAGINE.....YES I AM BLACK BUT THAT DOESNT DEFINE ME AND MY DESIRE TO BECOME A CRNA.

:yeah:And here is a wonderful webpage for the misinformed. Also, the creator of this webpage is African American. And this person is also a Chief Nurse Anesthetist!!!! www.diversitycrna.com

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:yeah:And here is a wonderful webpage for the misinformed. Also, the creator of this webpage is African American. And this person is also a Chief Nurse Anesthetist!!!! www.diversitycrna.com

Sorry I posted the incorrect webpage.. it is www.diversitycrna.org

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency.
okay my fellow aa's please we need to desist from all this rubbish. you are own your own in crna school or nursing school , you choose to hang out with our kind, how would you get the notes or be friends with "whites", please we need to stop this , we can't keep on being spoon fed, take action, study your ass off, make friends with everybody, study together, STOP SEEING COLOR, be different.....i laugh at the poster that said shes dropping out because she didnt get notes and such, ohhh how disgusting, if you read your books you would have passed simple...if grades were based on a bell curve then you prolly would have a lil something to say but its not. you should blame you and yourself only. hopefully you would learn from this.

I feel that I must weigh-in on this topic because I find Butterfly SRNA's comments disheartening and misleading. I think that he/she may be looking for excuses to justify the fact that he/she has failed to meet the objectives of his/her anesthesia program.

I am an African American female and I will matriculate in the Army's anesthesia program in a few short weeks. I gained acceptance into anesthesia school on my first attempt...I gained acceptance because I'm more than minimally qualified. My acceptance was not a handout.

I find it hard to believe that Butterfly sat in class and was mostly invisible to everyone else. Being from the dirty south, I will acknowledge that it is possible that he/she may have been invisible to large numbers of his/her classmates, but not invisible to everyone.

I earned my BSN from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center where I was one of 7 African Americans who graduated that year. I was one of two African Americans to graduate in the top 15% of my class. Needless to say, I was very close to the classmate that was an academic overachiever...we had alot in common. :wink2:

Getting to the point, the remaining African American students were standoffish. They were separatists...they didn't get along well with my friend or me, nor did they get along well with the white students. In fact, the small group of African American students that I am referring to found themselves "on the bubble" at the end of every semester...the fear of failure was ever present when we were taking finals.

The point that I'm making is that I was anything but invisible when I was in nursing school. In fact, I was the go-to person because I had all the answers during lecture. It felt as though the instructors were lecturing to me because I was always engaged no matter the content of the lecture. And, that's saying alot because I hate/hated psych nursing!!!

My message to all people of color, your ability to gain acceptance to CRNA school and subsequently graduate is solely up to you. You must work hard and strive for scores that are far greater than the minimums. Although you may not realize it, white students are rejected in large numbers as well. The application process is extremely competitive and those applicants that present with minimal scores will experience rejection time and time again.

I do not agree with any statements that suggest minority students are rejected more often than white students. If you subscribe to that theory, you are approaching the whole process with a negative attitude...in the end, the only one who'll be hurt by such faulty thinking is YOU!

Army:twocents:

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I do not agree with any statements that suggest minority students are rejected more often than white students. If you subscribe to that theory, you are approaching the whole process with a negative attitude...in the end, the only one who'll be hurt by such faulty thinking is YOU!

Army:twocents:

First and formost let me say being African American and being black more often means we as an entire race have to work 3 times harder than the next race---> That is just Facts no need for me to sugar coat things because I am on an allnurses webpage. I am a realist...a determinated, perserving African American female realist..

Myself and several other AA have experienced rejection at its highest peak here in the south because of color. Yes, I do feel African Americans are rejected more than whites. I'm sorry that you precieve "more often rejected" as a negative attitude. Encountered Rejection does not define ones determination and ones willingness (Especially mine). Of course other races and whites have experienced rejection... CRNA is a competitive program.. that speaks for itself :stone But how more often are blacks rejected with a resume/and application greater than the next applicant of a different race? The numbers are surplus. I have done extensive research on this.. I know..

I am not dismissing the fact that all AA are always rejected..It is just much much harder for us being African American.. The majority of things are NOT GIVEN to us because of who we know.. We have to work 3 times harder.. And nothing, nor words, can camouflage that!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency.
First and formost let me say being African American and being black more often means we as an entire race have to work 3 times harder than the next race---> That is just Facts no need for me to sugar coat things because I am on an allnurses webpage. I am a realist...a determinated, perserving African American female realist..

Myself and several other AA have experienced rejection at its highest peak here in the south because of color. Yes, I do feel African Americans are rejected more than whites. I'm sorry that you precieve "more often rejected" as a negative attitude.

But how more often are blacks rejected with a resume/and application greater than the next applicant of a different race? The numbers are surplus. I have done extensive research on this.. I know..

I am not dismissing the fact that all AA are always rejected..It is just much much harder for us being African American.. The majority of things are NOT GIVEN to us because of who we know..

Have you published your research findings? What statistical method and analysis did you use? I think that the AANA would be interested in your research findings. Perhaps there is a way for the AANA to track the number of highly qualified African Americans who are passed over for lesser qualified applicants. Your findings could be the catalyst to bring about changes in the way minority applications are handled.

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It is amazing to me how there are so many supporters of the garbage that has occurred in nursing - as I've said before it is not even considered a profession to many. We as people ( and I'm referring to caucasian, indian, AA etc) tend to feel that we have to justify and accept mistreatment. I'm fully aware of how hard certain ethnicities have to work in order to be successful or even accomplish goals. I've never put all of my eggs in one basket and thus have been able to succeed inspite of the garbage. I'm a realist though and I DO NOT CAMOUFLAGE nor DO I MAKE EXCUSES FOR OTHERS or JUSTIFY INJUSTICES. Trust me, I'm not sad because of others making excuses and accepting what is going on in the profession. Again, as I have said- there is a reason for the shortage in nursing. Honestly, I find it very sad!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in trauma ICU,TNCC, NRP, PALS, ACLS.

Personally I think the shortage of nurse's is because we are overworked, underpaid and disrespected sometimes.

Again, as I have said- there is a reason for the shortage in nursing. Honestly, I find it very sad!!!!!!!!!
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have you published your research findings? what statistical method and analysis did you use? i think that the aana would be interested in your research findings. perhaps there is a way for the aana to track the number of highly qualified african americans who are passed over for lesser qualified applicants. your findings could be the catalyst to bring about changes in the way minority applications are handled.

the aana and the coa (the council of accredition of nurse anesthesia educational programs is where i received a bulk of my information from.

you asked, "have you published your research findings?":nuke: no, i have not; for my inquisitiveness on this matter was not to bring about publications. i would rather utilize my time trying to help facilitate the entrance and acceptance of african americans into crna programs.

what statistical method and analysis did you use? what statistical method and analysis did they use? they utilized a combination of qualitative and quantative research methods/analysis.

my information came from a variety of sources such as:

goldie brangman who was the 1st black president of aana who gave me wonderful information on this matter and in turn also directed me to some current members of the aana.

members of the coa (one who is an african american still doing extensive research and surveys on this matter)

crna program directors african american and non african american

african american crna's --as well as non aa crna

african american student crna's-- as well as non aa student crna's

and pre crna individuals of all races that have applied at several crna programs.

i would be more than happy to direct you to any of the above stated individuals. you seem to be out of touch with reality. you seem to be mislead, misinformed, unaware, of black america obstacles in the crna aspect. i will not waste my precious time trying to verbally slander anyone. ( as you attempted to do in your previous post regarding your african american classmates).

i think the important question is what can i or we do to help facilitate more african american/minority entrance into the crna programs?

i leave my readers with this...

i am a firm believer of persistance. just because someone said no does not mean every one will say no.. every adversity carries with it the seed of an equilivant or greater benefit. i have overcame adversity at its highest peak and will continue to. as long as you have an unshakable faith in yourself, a burning desire in your gut, a inner conviction for your goal, and some plain ole belief rejection and any other obstacle will( should) not stop you. belief is the stepping stone to faith. faith is the prerequisite to power.

good luck to all yall......

"greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition he or she has overcome to reach his goals."--dr. dorthy height

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