First, for all that don't know, I am a Hispanic RN.
Now......
Went to my dentist yesterday. At the end of my visit I asked the hyginenist something about my dental care. She was going to go into great detail, so I stopped her to save time and said, " I am familiar with XYZ, I work in healthcare ".
The conversation went something like this:
Dental H: "Really?, (total disbelief) in what area of healthcare?"
Me: " I am a R.N"
Dental H: " Are you a diploma, 2-year RN? My niece is a four-year RN".
Me:" I have a BSN".
Dental H: "Hmmm. At first, when you said you were a nurse , I thought you were only a nursing assistant".
Me: My face: :stone
Me: (sarcastically) " I can certainly understand why mybeing a registered nurse is sooooo hard for you to believe"...
and here's your sign......
...a "I am a stupid person"sign.
Has anyone mistaken you for the cleaning lady/man, asked for the RN of patient so-and-so when, in fact,you are the RN in charge of pt. soandso?
I usually let stupid comments go ....but this, THIS, I had to share.
i'm mexican, pale, petite, thin, i have no accent what so ever and i appear younger than i really am. i used to be a phlebotomist now i'm a nursing student, so far i have been mistaken for:
1. greek
2. italian
3. white (no last name on id, just last initial)
4. a medical student (i think it was my white lab coat that confused them)
5. a high school student volunteer
6. an rn
but never a cna. i've been hated on for being mexican and i've had people tell me nasty things about "those damn mexicans" when they thought they were talking to a fellow anglo but i quickly grew a thick skin, i think it may be how i was raised. my parents had 5 girls, my father is a retired marine corps captain, they didn't raise passive females. i'm assertive, confident (even when i'm mentally shaking in my boots) and relatively intelligent, everything that a stereotypical mexican woman isn't and when people find out i'm not i love to hear "you're mexican?!"
forget the stereotypes. they'll always be there in some way shape or form, spending your time frustrated/mad at them isn't worth the time or energy.
I think I may have posted about this before--we lost an excellent RN from our unit because of the way she was treated in our clinic when she went in for treatment. G. is Mexican; didn't come to the US until she was an adult and consequently has a rather pronounced accent. I wasn't there, so don't know exactly what went on, but she was so insulted that she was just steaming.
My geographical area has a growing Latino population and very few Latino professionals - especially in health care. I have a classmate in my ADN program who is Latina and VERY sharp. I am so impressed with her. And truthfully, I am envious of her ability to transcend barriers. I have attempted to learn Spanish before. But even if I was fluent, I would never be able to have her level of bicultural understanding. We need to do more to recruit people of color to nursing. Stories such as this, speak to the ignorance and racism that still persists. It makes me feel very sad. Hold your head high, Jo Anne.
I have the same problem but with age. I am 24, but I look 12 without makeup on. At least twice a week when I am in a hospital setting I get... "excuse me can you call the nurse", "are you allowed to do that?" No matter how I introduce myself, they dont hear me or understand me. Then they apologize and try to tell me its a compliment
It reminds me of when I was an LPN and people would ask me "Are you a real nurse, or just an LPN? :angryfire
I've asked people similar things (not "are you real nurse", though!! ack!) like "what's your degree, what do you do", etc.- because I'm a wannabe nursing student (BSN or ADN- wherever I can get in at this point actually ADN would be better) and i just like to pump people for information- I pity the people in healthcare who get me for a patient, LOL.
I hope I've never offended anyone when I've asked about their education- it's never a "credentials!" thing, just sincere curiosity...
Long time ago, another nurse (Hispanic, no trace of Spanish accent whatsoever) and I (Anglo) were turning a snippy tourist (New England accent), when she looks my friend straight in the face and asked "and when did you come over here?" I started laughing and said, "oh yeah, she's a wetback, her family swam over with Cortez!" We both just lost it. Don't think the tourist ever figured out what we were talking about. 400 years, sigh
But, what makes me scratch my head is that we are living in the 21st century and society still has this mentality that people of color are uneducated, or are simply not smart enough.
I am not one of those people who goes around saying, "it's because i am {insert your ethnicity here}"....that happen to me" etc.
But it does get on my nerves, that once in a while I experience situations like these ....
BTW, what is up with the " I thought you were only a cna? or a 2 year rn?"???? comment??
I consider these individuals as my equals.
I am a 2 year RN. What's wrong with that? Now I feel like you're taking shots at me!
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I am a 2 year RN. What's wrong with that? Now I feel like you're taking shots at me!
I am glad you brought that up. I was thinking the same thing. Seems to me, the only person stereotyping is NOT the person doing this to the OP, but the OP herself. Sigh.......
I am glad you brought that up. I was thinking the same thing. Seems to me, the only person stereotyping is NOT the person doing this to the OP, but the OP herself. Sigh.......
It seems that way. I didn't want to be sensitive, but I re-read the post several times, and it just bothered me more and more each time. I'm a 2 year nurse, and apparently I'm not worthy! lol
I am also clueless about the offensive part was. She said she sees all her co-workers as equals! I also have a 2-year degree (actually took 6, but whos counting) and i didnt see anything wrong with the post. :uhoh21:
not now, RN
495 Posts
i'm mexican, pale, petite, thin, i have no accent what so ever and i appear younger than i really am. i used to be a phlebotomist now i'm a nursing student, so far i have been mistaken for:
1. greek
2. italian
3. white (no last name on id, just last initial)
4. a medical student (i think it was my white lab coat that confused them)
5. a high school student volunteer
6. an rn
but never a cna. i've been hated on for being mexican and i've had people tell me nasty things about "those damn mexicans" when they thought they were talking to a fellow anglo but i quickly grew a thick skin, i think it may be how i was raised. my parents had 5 girls, my father is a retired marine corps captain, they didn't raise passive females. i'm assertive, confident (even when i'm mentally shaking in my boots) and relatively intelligent, everything that a stereotypical mexican woman isn't and when people find out i'm not i love to hear "you're mexican?!"
forget the stereotypes. they'll always be there in some way shape or form, spending your time frustrated/mad at them isn't worth the time or energy.