African-American male Nurse Practitioners

Specialties NP

Published

I am casting a large net to find someone like myself. I am an African American male just starting my first semester in a Master's Family Nurse practitioner program. As I look around the classroom , I'm unable to find anyone that looks like me. Is there anyone out there that fits this description ?--nationally or internationally ? I would like some information or wisdom concerning pros,cons; advantages,pitfalls of my new endeavor.

I am casting a large net to find someone like myself. I am an African American male just starting my first semester in a Master's Family Nurse practitioner program. As I look around the classroom , I'm unable to find anyone that looks like me. Is there anyone out there that fits this description ?--nationally or internationally ? I would like some information or wisdom concerning pros,cons; advantages,pitfalls of my new endeavor.

Sorry Geoff,

This seems to be finding you 5 years too late. Also I am just planning to start my RN program this fall and I am considering the path of a NP. So perhaps you could tell me of your experiences.

Thanks,

Salus69

Sorry I don't fit any of the above requirements, but welcome to Allnurses.com from the sunny side of the world.............

:balloons: .

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I don't fit the mold either - but congrats on the entry into a masters program - I start in May 04! Have a great time - and welcome to AllNurses,

Specializes in ICU, Correctional Medicine, Adolescent.

Hello Geoff

It's always encouraging to see another brother entering in the profession. I can totally understand where you are coming because I fit the mold that you are looking for. I am currently finishing my first semester in a distance learning FNP program and haven't had the chance yet to look around the classroom, but I'm pretty sure that I will be one of a few if not the only African-american male NP student in the entire program. If it is like past experiences (LVN,ADN,BSN programs) I expect to be drilled with the (very personal) 20 questions of who, what, where, why and when did you decide to become a nurse? Be confused with the stereo-type picture of what young African American males do as far as the Hip-hop era concerns? I could go on and on and on and on..... about how under represented and misunderstood African-American male nurses are in this day and time. I say that to say this we have an opportunity of a life time in the positions that we are in now to show AMERICA that not all African-American men are gang-bangers, thugs, baby's daddies, and GOD knows whatever else titles that have been bestowed upon us, but we are also Highly educated, respected, hard working men who feel and believe that we have just as muct to offer our profession as the next man or woman. I don't like to get started about issues affecting African american men because it really hits heavy in my heart, but I am and forever will be an advocate for African American male representation in the nursing profession at all levels until the day that breath leaves my body. A lot of our young brothers just need a little encouragement and guidance from some of us who have weathered the storm, stayed dry in spite of the continuous showers of rain and are now basking in the glorious rays of sun shine. All I can say is be encouraged my brother no matter what's going on, he will make it alright, but you got to stay STRONG!!!!

Please feel free to PM at your convenience and maybe send me your phone number and I'll call where we can talk at lenght about issues that we deal with on a daily basis. I have free nation wide long distance.

I am casting a large net to find someone like myself. I am an African American male just starting my first semester in a Master's Family Nurse practitioner program. As I look around the classroom , I'm unable to find anyone that looks like me. Is there anyone out there that fits this description ?--nationally or internationally ? I would like some information or wisdom concerning pros,cons; advantages,pitfalls of my new endeavor.
I am casting a large net to find someone like myself. I am an African American male just starting my first semester in a Master's Family Nurse practitioner program. As I look around the classroom , I'm unable to find anyone that looks like me. Is there anyone out there that fits this description ?--nationally or internationally ? I would like some information or wisdom concerning pros,cons; advantages,pitfalls of my new endeavor.

I am not Afro-American, but a Hispanic-American who found no one like me in NP school...I was the only male, got the best written test scores, and got the highest evals from my preceptors. I even went as far as taking a a 6 week invasive procedure course to include suturing, chest tube insertions, etc,, all on my own and not part of the curriculum, so I could be on the same playing field as PA's insofar as their training goes. Graduated with a 3.0 cum only because final grades included a 20% subjective eval by my profs, all who felt I thought more like a doc as opposed to a nurse. You are not gonna find much in the world of nursing that looks like you so long as the view is dominated by white females. Good luck friend.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Gee, that was five years ago. Geoff only made one post. Wonder how he's doing now?

Specializes in Home Health, Primary Care.
Gee, that was five years ago. Geoff only made one post. Wonder how he's doing now?

I'm actually curious how it surfaced. I've been looking at this board practically everyday and never noticed it. So why after 4 years and some, all of a sudden it has surfaced? I didn't even notice it until 3rdShift mentioned something. That is peculiar.

Specializes in ICU, Correctional Medicine, Adolescent.

Yeah! We tend to not notice things when they don't apply to us. Like we still pretend today that RACISM doesn't exist. A lot of the majority population wouldn't have any EARTHYLY IDEA about racism even if racism hit them smack dab in the face. Whether Geoff posted this message 5,10,15, or even 20 yrs ago it still has significance in todays world of nursing and medicine. As a minority we experience many unnecessary, unexplainable things that our equal counterparts never even have to deal with, like be confused with all of the healthcare team auxillary members (CNA,house keeping,PT,RT,patient escort, lab tech, pharm tech, etc...) while having a badge that Ray Charles could see identifying us as an RN!!!!! When you pretend to yourself that it doesn't happen, it is because you have probably been guilty of it yourself. Have you noticed how receptive people are to a young (majority) male in scrubs/lab coat versus a minority male in scrubs/lab coat?????? The minority could actually be the MD and majority the scrub tech, but guess who gets the MD RESPECT?

I'm actually curious how it surfaced. I've been looking at this board practically everyday and never noticed it. So why after 4 years and some, all of a sudden it has surfaced? I didn't even notice it until 3rdShift mentioned something. That is peculiar.

:uhoh3:

Specializes in ICU, Correctional Medicine, Adolescent.

Yeah! We tend to not notice things when they don't apply to us. Like we still pretend today that RACISM doesn't exist. A lot of the majority population wouldn't have any EARTHYLY IDEA about racism even if racism hit them smack dab in the face. Whether Geoff posted this message 5,10,15, or even 20 yrs ago it still has significance in todays world of nursing and medicine. As a minority we experience many unnecessary, unexplainable things that our equal counterparts never even have to deal with, like be confused with all of the healthcare team auxillary members (CNA,house keeping,PT,RT,patient escort, lab tech, pharm tech, etc...) while having a badge that Ray Charles could see identifying us as an RN!!!!! When you pretend to yourself that it doesn't happen, it is because you have probably been guilty of it yourself. Have you noticed how receptive people are to a young (majority) male in scrubs/lab coat versus a minority male in scrubs/lab coat?????? The minority could actually be the MD and majority the scrub tech, but guess who gets the MD RESPECT?

I'm actually curious how it surfaced. I've been looking at this board practically everyday and never noticed it. So why after 4 years and some, all of a sudden it has surfaced? I didn't even notice it until 3rdShift mentioned something. That is peculiar.

:uhoh3:

Gee, that was five years ago. Geoff only made one post. Wonder how he's doing now?

Iam not on the level of NP, but Iam currently taking my pre-reqs for entry into a nursing program hopefully in about a year or so and I am also an african-american-male. I was wondering if you can share some of your experiences as black male RNs?.Are there any issues or perceptions i should be aware of? Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated because gentleman like yourself are difficult to find.

Specializes in ICU.
Yeah! We tend to not notice things when they don't apply to us. Like we still pretend today that RACISM doesn't exist. A lot of the majority population wouldn't have any EARTHYLY IDEA about racism even if racism hit them smack dab in the face. Whether Geoff posted this message 5,10,15, or even 20 yrs ago it still has significance in todays world of nursing and medicine. As a minority we experience many unnecessary, unexplainable things that our equal counterparts never even have to deal with, like be confused with all of the healthcare team auxillary members (CNA,house keeping,PT,RT,patient escort, lab tech, pharm tech, etc...) while having a badge that Ray Charles could see identifying us as an RN!!!!! When you pretend to yourself that it doesn't happen, it is because you have probably been guilty of it yourself. Have you noticed how receptive people are to a young (majority) male in scrubs/lab coat versus a minority male in scrubs/lab coat?????? The minority could actually be the MD and majority the scrub tech, but guess who gets the MD RESPECT?

:uhoh3:

I am so so sorry that you are getting this sort of prejudice still - it takes so long to change a culture but hopefully one day it will be gone :kiss

The people who were wondering how this thread resurfaced - it is the list "similar threads" at the bottom of the page. It pulls up EVERYTHING. This poor guy who started this thread probably did not get any responses because the community was much much smaller then - as you see now we are getting so many responses that we are already up to 2 pages!!!

One of the things I love about the Bulletin Board is that I DON'T know the color of the person I am talking to and I don't care. This gives me freedom to interact with them as a person without the constraints, conscious or unconscious, that our culture and upbringing have foistered onto us. Here I truly can reach my goal of being unprejudiced to all.

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