Nursing Me Black

[NurseThis21]

It was like I was a needle cap placed among a sea of cotton balls. It just seemed...off. Is it even possible? Where is my version of Florence Nightingale?

Perhaps I should get connected and join

• Association of black nurses
• Black nurses society
• Black nurses r us
• Nurses who are black,inc.
• You're black? And a nurse? Join us!

Maybe this was my ticket to finally feel like I 'm among the ranks of professional individuals, to belong even if it is dangerously close to the sidelines. As a nursing student, I always felt like I had to prove myself to my patients and my instructors. Even though I come from the fabulous city of Chicago, the majority of black nurses work for the county and therefore I was never in contact with them to be inspired, to feel safe, to find a reason to keep going.

But I did.

It was arduous, daunting, and exciting all at the same time, but I steered clear of anything that was a dead giveaway for an excuse. Since I come from a society that is seeping with self-doubt and a "crabs in a bucket" mentality, it wasn't a pretty journey; that's what made it perfect. It feels so rewarding to have little girls run up to me and say that they want to be a nurse now that they've seen someone actually come through the woodwork. It's like I give them hope for something that typically seems so unattainable. They have yet to experience true hardships and challenges, but hopefully I've shown them that it's all worth it in the end. They just need the passion to overcome any obstacle.

But you know what I realized?

It's not about being black and therefore feeling so accomplished about the day's work. It's about being a human being and a nurse. It's about recognizing your own potential before you begin concentrating on the color of your skin.

We don't need...

• Association of black nurses
• Black nurses society
• Black nurses r us
• Nurses who are black inc.
• You're black? And a nurse? Join us!

... To tell us that we're important. We can only find confidence within ourselves. We have already made great strides towards becoming whatever we want to be and our future looks even brighter.

Maybe it's best for us all to figuratively remove the rods and cones from our eyes and become colorblind. A white nurse is a black nurse is a Hispanic nurse is a Filipino nurse is a Chinese nurse is an Indian nurse. I plan on doing so just to show people how beneficial it is.

Yes, we may be outnumbered as nurses when it comes to statistics, but I choose to think of us as diamonds; rare and hard to come by!

Be human. Be beautiful. But most of all, be...lieve.

Nursethis21, BSN, RN

UIC Alumna

[cjrn8210]

Hello Nursing Me Black......I am a black nurse and have been one for 35yrs. Nursing is hard and racism makes it harder. The last hospital I worked at went to mandatory color coding for staff..nurses could wear blue or white. Supposedly this was for the patient's to be able to recognize who was who. I can't tell you how many times I was asked " are you the lab, respiratory, dietary even environmental" and these were not the patients, they were other nurses. I had to ask them what color do I have on, duh. There are some "white" people who do not want to think that you could possibly be on their level and the majority of these people couldn't nurse their way out of a wet paper bag. Especially those that have never worked anywhere but in one hopsital. I have skills on top of skills, but I have ALWAYS had to prove myself. So, don't become color blind look at nursing with all eyes open- after all it's the patients that count and when someone is REALLY sick they don't care what color YOU are, all they want is for you to make them feel better. I can count on one hand the times that I have been rejected by a patient because I was black. We are here in full force and have always been here, we were nurses to the master and his family during slavery. Nursing is a rewarding profession and I would'nt be anything else!:heartbeat

[TruNurse86]

Hi everybody! I'm new here but I have been viewing this site as a guest for months. I have been thinking about some pretty heavy things and this article tackles them. :yeah:I thank you nursethis21 for writing this. I myself am trying to become an lvn. You are inspiring to me. :redbeathe:nurse:

[Jahna]

You need to look up Mary Jane Seacole. She isn't nearly as popular as Florence Nightingale, but for women of color and NURSES in general, she is a true hero. She just has never gotten the recognition that she deserves.

[I_See_You_RN]

Hi Nursing me Black. I'm an African American new grad and thankfully I've had the total opposite experience that you have had. I'm from NY btw which is use to a lot of cultural diversity and I don't believe it is as hard to move up the ladder. In fact, the interviews that I have been on (top NY hospitals, Magnet, teaching, 1 affiliated with an IVY league school), the Nurse Managers that I met with in the ICU were all black, the case manager was also black/hispanic, and the head nurse recruiter for one was also black. Everyone was very respectful and welcoming to me. Even when working in Binghamton NY and interning in Sayre Penn. I was always very welcomed and treated nicely.

However, I still do see how at times white patients (usually the older ones) are very racist. Not from personal experience, but my mother who is a CNA has had patients swear at her, use racial slurs and ask her "you're taking care of me". My mother has seen a doctor being called a monkey and other odd racist patients has told her that they prefer her because she is light skinned over the darker CNA .

On the flip side though I have had clients tell me " I hope you're not offended by this, but I like your type (black nurses/carribean ) of nurses better,.. they're much nicer.

So in the end I think its all about stereotypes and locations. I think areas like metro NY/long island, California, and down South who has a long history of integration are much more accepting.

I am against the Black Nurse Union idea though. Though you might be trying to band together it will only lead to further outcasting of yourself. I don't think racial groups of any kind ever helped with integration and acceptance of others. Though created with good intentions, it usually just ends up creating an "us against them" mentality.

[LockportRN]

NurseThis21 said:

Thank you so much for your input and welcome to AllNurses!

First off, I'm so sorry you had to experience such ignorance and deceitful play. It's a shame that people will do practically anything to break one's spirit. I've actually never experienced anything close to racism or discrimination and I'd like to keep it that way. According to my peers, I apparently pass the "brown paper bag" test, as ignorant as that may sound, but now that I look back on my clinical days I can see the subtle differences in the way I was treated as opposed to my obvious African classmates. It's the subtlety of it all that makes me cringe.

I completely agree with your statement to have a nurses' union. We're 2.9 million strong and yet, we're so widely spread out, staggered, and not too keen on "togetherness" at all. It's like we have our own agenda, whether it be to try and make more money, backstab a fellow co-worker, abuse patient medication, gossip, etc. And the black nursing community is so tiny that we're vulnerable by default. The few black nurses that I have come across seem content in their positions, but I always sense a hint of resentment in their voice. I don't know what it comes from, but I hope to find out and put an end to it.

OK, first for the OP, I love your post. I am not African American and almost did not respond to this because, well, it's still so touchy. I am so sorry for your experiences but in my neck of the woods, I work with either a 50-50 mix of African American to caucasion nurses or more recently a true multicultural nursing arena with nurses from Poland, the Phillipines, Africa, Mexico, Germany and yes, the US (both white and black). So I wonder, where do you live? Why are you alone?

And my role models? In nursing I can think of 3. The first, a caucasion RN PhD Administrator that was a mentor to me and gave me my first chance at a rising the ranks into management being ever so patient while I learned. The second, a strong and kind Phillapina RN DON who continued on this path with me. She taught me how to include everyone - by her example. The third was a very strong African American Nursing Consultant who was over me as I was a new DON in the same facility where she had just come from. She was no-nonsense in her teaching but was strong enough that when I wanted and needed to make changes to the facility that she loved so much, she encouraged me. Her love for the facility and all the staff opened me even further. I have to say that is was directly through her teaching that I was able to reach out and teach others of all races and positions. We celebrate and help each other. I hope that you can find this too. I just feel so sad for the previos poster that this is still going on. My heart goes out to you.

[RN4JC]

Excellent. I wish people would stop concentrating on the minor things that make us different when there are so many things that make us alike.

[>30yrsRN]

Okay, professionals that have memberships named by the color or race

this not the way for Nursing to go into the future we need to be more like the Startrek and not were tee shirts with our Race and Country and written in below Nurse after it. I see this is back of magazines all the time. It plain Stupid!

Stupid is as Stupid does! Then we wonder where is the Respect! LOL

[joyouter]

I_See_You_RN said:

Hi Nursing me Black. I'm an African American new grad and thankfully I've had the total opposite experience that you have had. I'm from NY btw which is use to a lot of cultural diversity and I don't believe it is as hard to move up the ladder. In fact, the interviews that I have been on (top NY hospitals, Magnet, teaching, 1 affiliated with an IVY league school), the Nurse Managers that I met with in the ICU were all black, the case manager was also black/hispanic, and the head nurse recruiter for one was also black. Everyone was very respectful and welcoming to me. Even when working in Binghamton NY and interning in Sayre Penn. I was always very welcomed and treated nicely.

However, I still do see how at times white patients (usually the older ones) are very racist. Not from personal experience, but my mother who is a CNA has had patients swear at her, use racial slurs and ask her "you're taking care of me". My mother has seen a doctor being called a monkey and other odd racist patients has told her that they prefer her because she is light skinned over the darker CNA .

On the flip side though I have had clients tell me " I hope you're not offended by this, but I like your type (black nurses/carribean ) of nurses better,.. they're much nicer.

So in the end I think its all about stereotypes and locations. I think areas like metro NY/long island, California, and down South who has a long history of integration are much more accepting.

I am against the Black Nurse Union idea though. Though you might be trying to band together it will only lead to further outcasting of yourself. I don't think racial groups of any kind ever helped with integration and acceptance of others. Though created with good intentions, it usually just ends up creating an "us against them" mentality.

Reading through the numerous postings on racism, colour and nursing, it appears that not only does our profession require a thorough revamp of cultural perception and an ethics/ moral research on racial profiling and practices, but on a deeper level, the question of cultural perception, lack of understanding, a need to see those of colour in an inferior perspective but most important, the element of fear - supported by the inability or perhaps, a serious flaw in the population's basic education and the need to maintain the status quo, With the election of an African American president, which sent a vital message around the globe, closer to home, the issue of race re- emerged, causing greater fear and discomfort. Our role in nursing is to present our profession as solid, intertwined with a common premise, that of quality education and respect for ourselves, our profession and most importantly for our patient. It is truly amazing that in our present day 22nd century we can remain so entrenched in backwardness and a level of ignorance about our fellow persons based purely on genetically coded skin colour, hair structure and facial features when all of us are organ donors, blood donors and exemplary volunteers.

The fact that a Black Nursing Association exists and does extremely well, presents both sides of the coin. Postively, it is a pardigm reflecting a professional organisation with excellent peer review articles for research on many nursing research topics and simultaneously, will feed the divide between nurses and race. Personally, the organisation appears to be a direct result of the inability and frustration of African American nursing professional to achieve parity with her peers and within healthcare organisations, Positively, the site offers much on continuing education, Sickle Cell disease and other auto immune problems which occur in persons of African descent. Perhaps, the name should be altered to Nursing Africorifice Nobilis - nursing as a noble calling. Just a random thought

[SharonH, RN]

nursethis21 said:

... To tell us that we're important. We can only find confidence within ourselves. We have already made great strides towards becoming whatever we want to be and our future looks even brighter.

Maybe it's best for us all to figuratively remove the rods and cones from our eyes and become colorblind. A white nurse is a black nurse is a Hispanic nurse is a Filipino nurse is a Chinese nurse is an Indian nurse. I plan on doing so just to show people how beneficial it is.

Yes, we may be outnumbered as nurses when it comes to statistics, but I choose to think of us as diamonds; rare and hard to come by!

Be human. Be beautiful. But most of all, be...lieve.

A few thoughts:

1. We do not live in a colorblind society and never will and I like that. How boring it would be if we were. our differences make things interesting. I am African-American and I am proud of my heritage and because I accept and am proud of myself I am able to accept and enjoy others.

2. While I do not belong to an ethnic specific nursing association, it is my understanding that the purpose of chi eta phi, national black nurses' association and others is not to make us "feel good about ourselves" but for nurses who may share a common bond to network and pursue common interests. If you will research those organizations and look up their mission statements you will learn that their purposes are quite noble, serve the purpose of nursing and most importantly are open to all races. Therefore your conclusion that they are "not needed" is based on false assumptions.

3. I am glad that you are more comfortable in your skin. I am also surprised that most black nurses in Chicago work "at county". I'm betting that's not quite true. I work in Atlanta (have for 20 years) and I've been told that most of us work at Grady but that's simply untrue, we are everywhere.

4. Good luck and congratulations on your entry into our profession.

[Bella RN, BSN, MSN]

Wow very well said to all my fellow nursing sistas!!

I too can relate in many different ways to all that was said. I am black as well and a decendent of Carribean parents and I can attest to the different treatment noted from my other peers of a different hue to be received much more cordially when it was very apparent that the knowledge of that indivdual was not there.

While wearing the designated color uniform for RN's for that particuliar hospital I have also been asked by fellow nurses if I was a tech or some other NON nursing staff. I get to the point where I laugh it off and let my actions do the talking....

I have an attractive youthful face so when an MD walks out of a room of a patient in the ICU wanting to know "Who's patient X's" is nurse whlie I am standing right in front of him or in the room with him and I reply it is me--I see the stunned look on their face when they are not sure how to receive me.

I have also seen their anxiety rise when they quickly realize they are not dealing with the "Average nurse" as I quickly update him/her of what has taken place that shift and previous shifts and what medical recommendations are needed for that individual to pull through for the evening:twocents:...they walk away dismayed but usually in agreement with me.

I have encountered the "she thinks she knows it all nurse" who has been going around teaching staff incorrect infromation and she being glorified and I have gently let her know with proof and citing and showing resources that this info is incorrect and is a detriment to the patient--then being deemed as the "overly aggresive one" which is clearly not the case.

I have been promoted several times at various hospitals advancing the clinical ladder .I have worked with nurses who had a higher position than me but not the education credentials I have feel threaten by me once I advanced the ladder and would make snide remarks or try to convince other team members that "I am attempting to take over the facility" or "I think I am going to be the next CEO":cry:

Because I advanced so quickly in one unit I was told my another coordinator of another unit that it was told to her in MANY forms and instances that there was a plan to set me up for failure because I was so much of a go getter and out shining my other white collegues.

I have spoken at National conferences and was well received from other nursese, MD's from other states and ethnicities and hospitals at conference but when i returned to my own hospital bringing them the gold from my national presentation--very little accolade noted.

I could go on and on...but I do know this...I can remember the days when presenting lectures in front of the CEO of the hospital and the medical director and Chief Nursing Officer and the amazement in their eyes as they saw me out 42 ICU RN"s the only African-American RN to go beyond the call and engage that facility with the National Institue of Health.

I can recall that I was an advocate for my Asian, Hispanic or any other foreign nurses who were afraid to Advance the Clinical ladder because the fear they had of being ridculed because as they explained "my english is not too good".

Innately I am a motivator and while I was co chair and chair of these Advancing committees I made sure I was their voice and would speak for them so they would receive the 5%raise as they were accepted and advanced the clinical ladderr:D. That was so gratifying...I could relate to their pain as they told me their stories having foreign parents myself.

I can remember the days when the beligerent Cardiacthoracic Surgeon who everyone was afraid to deal with and would specifically ask to speak to me to resolve a matter--and I was not even a coordinator then!!! But he saw past my color and saw my skill and even asked me if I would consider being one of his personal nurses. I declined.

I can remember when I decided to resign from one facility because how the nurses were making it so difficult and they considered me such a threat and thought I was overly involved in quality improvement projects or policy proceudre projects--When I told one of the sweetest general surgeons that I was leaving he personally gave me his home phone number and said to me I am giving this to you because you can use me as a recommendation for when you go to MEDICAL SCHOOL.. !!

I explained to him I had NOooooooooooooo intentions in ever doing that...He explained to me I can see how you jumped hurdles at this facility and how you have triumphed here...Your picture is on the walll...We need nurses like you to become MD's because you truly care and know what you are doing....:) I like to call that Health care Reform in and of itself LOL!!!

When I combine all of the hardships I have endured because of someones perception of me due to my exterior but then when I sit down and internalize all the good and the catalyst I have been for those who have had NO voice --I say to myself God is good:yeah: and HE has given me grace to prevail and will continue to do so!!!

So DON"T EVER let race or what those around you determine how far you can advance in the future. RAther say Lord help me to change my own perception of myself and give me strenghth to go as far as you want me to go....

Don't just reach for the stars--go for the moon because you can always inspire to take others there with you!!!

BTW I am an RN with BSN in the south!!!!! Without God I wouldn't of made it!!!! Believe that!!

[LockportRN]

3. I am glad that you are more comfortable in your skin. I am also surprised that most Black nurses in Chicago work "at county". I'm betting that's not quite true. I work in Atlanta (have for 20 years) and I've been told that most of us work at Grady but that's simply untrue, we are everywhere.

SharonHRN, you are right. I have been a nurse since 1980 and live iand work n the Chicago area. If you see my post, you can see that it is quite multicultural. The fact that the poster wrote that she felt that all black nurses work only in county is a sad reflection of her experiences as she grew. I used to see this type of attitue or feeling 15 years ago but not so much anymore. But this sort of 'pigeon-holeing' of a race can also be said of LPN's vs RN's.

Why do we continue to fight this?. I, like you, celebrate our differences. If the only people I ever met or worked with were just like me, I'd not only be bored out of my mind, but would never grow, or learn. It is directly through this diversity that I am stronger, love more and can more fully be the kind of nurse that I envisioned when it was just a fleeting thought in High School.

You have taught me something new today and I thank you. I always assumed that these organizations were for African American nurses only. Any yes, that name alone put up a divide for me so I never really considered looking into what they had to offer. Please, anyone who belongs to them, tell us more. What a wonderful resource for the type of diseases that you stated to help all nurses help our African American patients. Thank you again SharonHRN:yelclap:

[tewdles, RN]

Wonderful post! I am a naive white RN...born and raised in Iowa, lived the past 40 years in Michigan. Just worked homecare in Detroit. I worked with a wonderful nurse who is black...we buddied the 50 clients in my territory. It never occured to me that some of the clients might want to know in advance that the "other nurse" who would come to visit was black...never offered up that piece of trivia. Some of the "redneck michigan militia" postured about the race thing but never caused a problem. My colleague and I did chuckle occasionally about the clients who called and refused the white nurse when they discovered that they could have a "sister" lookin out for them. In my book, a nurse is a nurse as long as you have the heart, have the knowledge, have the skill, and your patients can understand you when you talk to them.