Nursing a prejudiced Pt.

[Avid reader]

Have had several prejudiced patients over the years, but one springs to mind immediately because he was a Mexican/ Indian Asian, who happened to be extremely light skinned and very Caucasian looking, with the name of Jones. Only found out when his Indian relative who looked Caucasian but had an Indian accent arrived. He wasn't overtly racist but let slipped to the night nurse that he preferred the white nurses because they appeared more competent and kind. It was difficult being objective from that point! How do others handle this silliness?

[djh123]

To me it's a little similar (but racism is far worse) as when I have a patient who makes political/social statements that are the opposite of mine. I've dealt with those, as well as racists, by just focusing on what they need medically, being polite, and going on to the next patient. It's about all you can do.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

Just find it intriguing that when you are in a compromised position of illness that someone can still find the time to differentiate between carers. My illness would preoccupy me.

You think it would. But you won't know until you are sick. People believe what they believe, feel the way they feel.

It's neither right nor wrong. Don't give it your time or attention. I guess I find it intriguing that someone as busy as a direct caregiver has the time to be concerned about this. Just do your best

and be confident enough in yourself that you won't care what point of view someone else has.

[Avid reader]

I have two peeves, ungrateful, and inconsiderate people. Everything else is tolerable. It's irksome thinking he maybe responding or thinking xenophobic things about my non Caucasian colleagues and they are too polite or afraid to respond appropriately. He's not overt and I won't be able to experience his prejudice, but I was told, which makes me aware and accounts for my state of mind. I can't gossip or spread rumours or ask people if they are being subjected to racism by him. I have no personal evidence, except a statement from a reliable source. People who think like him irritate me and you can't regulate thoughts. This is why our job is so extremely difficult sometimes, having to do for such like him. The separation of my personal prejudices from professionalism. You can't just walk away!

[CaffeinePOQ4HPRN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN]

I'm of mixed ethnicity and I have had patients call me ni**er, I've also been called a chinc and a spic, one patient even called me an "abomination" and expressed his disgust that anyone allowed me to be educated and said in his day "you would've been lynched before you take your first breath". Generally, racist patients are confused by my appearance, and the ambiguity makes them angrier that they can't easily identify what I am. So, instead they hurl whatever other racial slur they think most closely resembles what they decide my ethnicity to be (which I never disclose to them, or anything personal for that matter). For the most part, I've found it to be slightly amusing and misguided that these dependent, helpless, oftentimes bed-bound patients would be openly hateful towards me or any nurse of colour whose comfort and life rests solely in our highly skilled hands.

If it ever becomes an issue for me or the patient's language/behaviour escalates, I have my manager reassign them to their requested "white nurse". Thankfully, racism is taken seriously by my facility so they don't argue with us if we need to have a racist patient taken off our assignment.... because, to be totally honest, I'd rather take care of a patient who shows (at the very least) basic human decency and respect towards all nurses/staff.

In circumstances like this, I take great pleasure in charting verbatim, direct quotes of everything the patient communicated to me. That chart follows them to every facility they're ever treated at, and all healthcare providers who treat them read this, too;)

[CaffeinePOQ4HPRN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN]

I am a black nurse in a southern state, but racial prejudice can occur anywhere.

I have dealt with my share of covert and overt racism from patients, such as the lovely gentleman who called me a "black __" (rhymes with 'pitch' but starts with a 'B') and told me, "Go back to Africa" (I am not from Africa).

When people saw me working the floor, they regularly assumed I was a housekeeper, cook, receptionist, nurses aide or medication tech. They were often surprised that I was the RN house supervisor. Thus, some make lazy judgments about those of us who belong to racial groups that have been typecast as being undereducated.

Here is the deal...I cannot change peoples' views, nor will I expend the effort to try. I can only change my reactions. In addition, I will remove myself from the presence of a verbally abusive patient or family member without hesitation because life is too short to deal with flagrant foolishness.

@TheCommuter So true and very well said

Go back to Africa? Bahahahahaha :roflmao:. I've heard that one before, and I usually have to excuse myself from the room to keep from bursting into laughter in front of the patient. I chart everything. Example: Patient non-compliant and exercising his/her right to refuse care, instructing writer "do not touch me" and suggesting writer should "go back to Africa".

When these types refuse my care, I personally consider it a blessing, especially if something like an enema or a urinary indwelling catheter change is ordered/required. I don't get offended in these circumstances, they're doing me a favor by refusing my care. Blessed Mary!

[Avid reader]

I think the current climate of intolerance ie building walls, the Michelle Obama's comments, Grab their pu**y comment from an incoming president has me a bit frazzled. I just cannot foresee the future anymore and feel anxious that so many people embraced this racist, misogynistic, corrupt criminal. Just how divided are we when supposedly educated people embrace the same person, that the poorly educated, less discerning choose? Education should increase perception, not reduce it!

[CaffeinePOQ4HPRN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN]

I think the current climate of intolerance ie building walls, the Michelle Obama's comments, Grab their pu**y comment from an incoming president has me a bit frazzled. I just cannot foresee the future anymore and feel anxious that so many people embraced this racist, misogynistic, corrupt criminal. Just how divided are we when supposedly educated people embrace the same person, that the poorly educated, less discerning choose? Education should increase perception, not reduce it!

Racism is everywhere and often "closer to home" than you think... some people just conceal it better than others. One of my exes (who is Jewish) and his whole family are all well-educated, most of them are lawyers. Anyways, this ex's younger brother casually uttered Ni**er at the dinner table the first time I met the whole family. I later learned that the rest of that ex's whole family is racist and they were quietly tolerating me (while putting pressure on this ex behind closed doors to get rid of me). As it turned out, that ex used me as an exotic experiment and to improve his image. Some people can be convincing and deceptive in concealing their bigotry/prejudice when they want something from you. So...Not much surprises me anymore. It's like @TheCommuter said, just learn to approach and react to it differently. Don't let these racist types provoke or get a rise out of you. Remain cool, calm, collected

[TruvyNurse]

that anyone allowed me to be educated and said in his day "you would've been lynched before you take your first breath".

WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE? Wow!! If I had been the patient in the next bed, I might have smacked this idiot. Lol

[B52, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN]

I've experienced racism. Only once did I retaliate, and although I know I was wrong, it felt good. (No, I didn't use a 19-gauge for an IM) ... And just a few days ago a patient told me how upset he was that his daughter married a black man. I was wondering if he expected some sort of sympathy or empathy from me, a very obvious black woman.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

Katie I wished my OS allowed for such an option but wouldn't I be discriminating? Could I then choose to remove myself from overly tall or too fat or grumpy patients? I completely agree with the diminished accuity but then wouldn't that exclude all right wingnuts;)?

Not prejudiced are you? You just absolutely adore everyone, right? Equally, right? Perhaps we are each biased in our own way. We do have favorites, don't we? Each of us does, don't we? I don't think anyone is totally free of noticing and having some reaction to gender, race, a person's political views or a person's religious views or views on whatever topic - childrearing, for instance.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

I prefer to prefer I am deaf. Just don't acknowledge that stuff. You can't change them.

[VegGal, BSN, RN]

Have had several prejudiced patients over the years, but one springs to mind immediately because he was a Mexican/ Indian Asian, who happened to be extremely light skinned and very Caucasian looking, with the name of Jones. Only found out when his Indian relative who looked Caucasian but had an Indian accent arrived. He wasn't overtly racist but let slipped to the night nurse that he preferred the white nurses because they appeared more competent and kind. It was difficult being objective from that point! How do others handle this silliness?

I sympathize with you for what you went through, however why would you refer to him as 'prejudiced' when he was giving his opinion on a type of nurse he'd prefer? Does that really make him prejudiced? Maybe he had a bad experience with an Asian nurse, or a Black nurse, or a Hispanic nurse .... Does that really make him a racist?

I'm neither white nor black and I've had black patients request black nurses. I don't think of them as being prejudiced. I just think of them as requesting someone they're more comfortable with, for whatever reason that is.

Also, your comment that he may be "Mexican or Indian Asian" and that his relative looked Caucasian but had an Indian accent ...... Well, firstly the term is HISPANIC, not Mexican, unless he just arrived from Mexico, and in this modern day and age many of us have relatives of various races, as well as various accents. Patients are allowed to request or refuse a nurse, but most do so for religious purposes (for example Muslim, etc). It doesn't mean that they're racist. He could be ignorant of course, but it doesn't mean that he's "prejudiced" as you referred to him.