Patients and the race card

Nurses Relations

Published

I am a fairly new nurse and many of my co-workers have run into situations where a patient pulls the race card on them. This has not yet happened to me, but I'm sure with time it will.

Just wondering how others have handled this type of situation and how patients have reacted.

Thanks!

Edited to add my original thought, which I couldn't seem to get together in my head when I posted: When you assume that "others" have or will treat you differently because of your race, you are being .... racist. Sorry. But it's no better than what you accuse "everyone else" of being.

What if it is not an assumption but truth, even though it is a hard "truth" to prove because often times racism is not blatant but "you" know it is occurring when it happens to you...most people don't go out looking for discrimination incidents but when they occur they know...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.
I hope you understand what a disservice you do to yourself and to other members of your race when you make statements like this...

I hope you understand that your comments do not speak for me, as a member of her race. If you want to reprimand someone for self expression (of personal pain it appears - which does no disservice to me), I would appreciate it if you would leave her race out of it.

Thanks.

Edit: Making the assumption that she is being treated differently on the basis of race is a fair assumption, however wrong it may be. Might she benefit from coming to terms with her reality, employing some critical thought and self examination, and learning to let go of some old sensitivities? Probably. But her oversensitivity does not dissolve the very real possibility that she has been treated differently on the basis of race. Ignoring the issue doesn't eradicate it. Only 20 years ago, I was pushed from an elementary school drinking fountain daily and told to go drink from the toilet because my classmates didn't want me contaminating their drinking water. I know well enough that I can't expect that to be my experience wherever I go. It hasn't been. But I also know well enough that racism is alive and well and to deny it is to perpetuate it in the pockets of our society where it thrives.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg.

I knew people would take issue with what I had to say. I'm not surprised.

By "disservice to other members of her race," I meant that she is helping to perpetuate the myth (yes, MYTH) that people belonging to minorities are automatically treated worse because of their race. Period.

The area that I live in has changed dramatically over the last few/several years, with increased numbers of "minority" groups. I could care less, really. But yes, I do see what people call "reverse" discrimination or racism (and the "reverse" is just unnecessary, racism is racism no matter who it's source is)....people that belong to minority groups ASSUME that they will be treated differently BECAUSE they are said minority. It's simply not true, in most cases (and I say most cases because I cannot possibly speak for everyone). What I see MOST here is discrimination towards white people (also read: racism), but it can't POSSIBLY be termed as such because of who it's targeted towards. :uhoh3:

For that pariticular poster, she assumed that she was given Tylenol vs Percocet because of her race. Maybe it was because of a nurse that was not well trained in pain control? I would think that much more likely, but of COURSE it was due to race, what else could it be???? :mad: The statement by that poster, "when we hurt, no one listens" is also VERY, VERY broad, but unfortunately is what that person chooses to believe. Statements like that DO do a disscervice to MANY.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg.
i hope you understand that your comments do not speak for me, as a member of her race. i never spoke for anyone else, my comments were to her...see above. if you want to reprimand someone for self expression (of personal pain it appears - which does no disservice to me), i would appreciate it if you would leave her race out of it. i didn't bring her race in to it....she did.

thanks.

edit: making the assumption that she is being treated differently on the basis of race is a fair assumption, however wrong it may be. if it's that wrong, perhaps it isn't fair. might she benefit from coming to terms with her reality, employing some critical thought and self examination, and learning to let go of some old sensitivities? probably. but her oversensitivity does not dissolve the very real possibility that she has been treated differently on the basis of race. ignoring the issue doesn't eradicate it. only 20 years ago, i was pushed from an elementary school drinking fountain daily and told to go drink from the toilet because my classmates didn't want me contaminating their drinking water. i know well enough that i can't expect that to be my experience wherever i go. it hasn't been. but i also know well enough that racism is alive and well and to deny it is to perpetuate it in the pockets of our society where it thrives.

who tried to deny that it existed? since your comment was to me, i assume you meant me, and i didn't deny it's existence. i said that that poster's assumption was that every slight she felt she received was due to race only. i'm sorry for how your classmates treated you 20 years ago, but i was not one of those classmates, so don't take it out on me.

in this country's history, yes....many grievous actions were committed against african american people. however....i didn't commit them, i wasn't born yet. my family didn't commit them (and even if they had, i was obviously not in a position to have anything to do with it, as again, i wasn't born yet). i don't agree with the things that happened in our country's history, but the descendants of those people, on either side, can only hold grudges or apologize for so long; someday, everyone responsible will be dead. i choose not to apologize personally for something that i have never done. that doesn't mean that racism doesn't exist, but people forget that racism isn't the basis for every slight, or that racism can go both ways.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I knew people would take issue with what I had to say. I'm not surprised.

By "disservice to other members of her race," I meant that she is helping to perpetuate the myth (yes, MYTH) that people belonging to minorities are automatically treated worse because of their race. Period.

The area that I live in has changed dramatically over the last few/several years, with increased numbers of "minority" groups. I could care less, really. But yes, I do see what people call "reverse" discrimination or racism (and the "reverse" is just unnecessary, racism is racism no matter who it's source is)....people that belong to minority groups ASSUME that they will be treated differently BECAUSE they are said minority. It's simply not true, in most cases (and I say most cases because I cannot possibly speak for everyone). What I see MOST here is discrimination towards white people (also read: racism), but it can't POSSIBLY be termed as such because of who it's targeted towards. :uhoh3:

For that pariticular poster, she assumed that she was given Tylenol vs Percocet because of her race. Maybe it was because of a nurse that was not well trained in pain control? I would think that much more likely, but of COURSE it was due to race, what else could it be???? :mad: The statement by that poster, "when we hurt, no one listens" is also VERY, VERY broad, but unfortunately is what that person chooses to believe. Statements like that DO do a disscervice to MANY.

It very well could have been a nurse who was ignorant about pain management but it could have also been racism...who knows? I wasn't there and neither were you so there is no way for either of us to definitively judge the motives of the nurse who denied her the narcotic pain medication. In any case, it's rather insensitive to scornfully dismiss someone's feelings just because your life experience has been different from theirs. How is your attitude any different from the people who automatically dismiss the possibility that whites can be discriminated against? It's also equally annoying when people automatically pooh-pooh the possibility that at times minorities are discriminated against. Finally, of course you MOSTLY see minorities discriminating against whites...it's because you're white and well you're going to see things from that perspective. People rarely pay too much attention to what doesn't affect them personally.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
It very well could have been a nurse who was ignorant about pain management but it could have also been racism...who knows? I wasn't there and neither were you so there is no way for either of us to definitively judge the motives of the nurse who denied her the narcotic pain medication. In any case, it's rather insensitive to scornfully dismiss someone's feelings just because your life experience has been different from theirs. How is your attitude any different from the people who automatically dismiss the possibility that whites can be discriminated against? It's also equally annoying when people automatically pooh-pooh the possibility that at times minorities are discriminated against. Finally, of course you MOSTLY see minorities discriminating against whites...it's because you're white and well you're going to see things from that perspective. People rarely pay too much attention to what doesn't affect them personally.

Exactly, most people don't really know racism until they have been on the receiving end of it...so that makes it easy for other people who haven't experienced it to the same degree to naturally assume that the aggrieved person is imagining things or being overly sensitive...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

i don't think the poster who told his story was taking it out on you or asking you for anything much less an apology. i think him re-telling his childhood experience was merely an illustration that racism still exists in this country. twenty years ago was 1990 not 1919...supposedly stuff like that happened a long-long time ago and no one under 50 is supposed to have experienced any racism in our "post-racial" society.

i also agree that nope you weren't alive when a lot of the really nasty stuff was going on in this country and you don't owe anyone an apology for what you didn't do. you also don't deserve to be pre-judged or treated poorly by anyone based on the color of your skin. the thing is that neither do i and i also don't owe anyone an apology for minorities that hurt white people's feelings by accusing them of being racist.

i could also go on about the difference between hurt feelings and being denied adequate medical care, access to housing in certain neighborhoods (happened to me less than 3 months ago), jobs etc but that's another can of worms entirely. but please don't accuse me of being a black racist, i have plenty of white friends and i even told a black female patient that she would be terminated from our mmtp for calling a white man a cracker. as soon as she said it i told her that what she said was unacceptable and would not be tolerated in our facility. so can i get a pass?

anyway the entire point of the op's post was how to handle the situation. i'll write it again. we're nurses and we deal with characters from all walks of life. people have their prejudices, and we just have to deal with them...period. you think i liked dealing with the 85-year-old white man who was in his right mind but insisted on calling me a maid and worse? trust me, it was less than fun but since he wasn't refusing my care i had to suck it up and provide him with care because that's my job.

who tried to deny that it existed? since your comment was to me, i assume you meant me, and i didn't deny it's existence. i said that that poster's assumption was that every slight she felt she received was due to race only. i'm sorry for how your classmates treated you 20 years ago, but i was not one of those classmates, so don't take it out on me.

in this country's history, yes....many grievous actions were committed against african american people. however....i didn't commit them, i wasn't born yet. my family didn't commit them (and even if they had, i was obviously not in a position to have anything to do with it, as again, i wasn't born yet). i don't agree with the things that happened in our country's history, but the descendants of those people, on either side, can only hold grudges or apologize for so long; someday, everyone responsible will be dead. i choose not to apologize personally for something that i have never done. that doesn't mean that racism doesn't exist, but people forget that racism isn't the basis for every slight, or that racism can go both ways.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.
I don't think the poster who told his story was taking it out on you or asking you for anything much less an apology. I think him re-telling his childhood experience was merely an illustration that racism still exists in this country. Twenty years ago was 1990 not 1919...supposedly stuff like that happened a long-long time ago and no one under 50 is supposed to have experienced any racism in our "post-racial" society.

Thank you. You hit the nail on the head.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg.
I don't think the poster who told his story was taking it out on you or asking you for anything much less an apology. I think him re-telling his childhood experience was merely an illustration that racism still exists in this country. Twenty years ago was 1990 not 1919...supposedly stuff like that happened a long-long time ago and no one under 50 is supposed to have experienced any racism in our "post-racial" society.

I also agree that nope you weren't alive when a lot of the really nasty stuff was going on in this country and you don't owe anyone an apology for what you didn't do. You also don't deserve to be pre-judged or treated poorly by anyone based on the color of your skin. The thing is that neither do I and I also don't owe anyone an apology for minorities that hurt white people's feelings by accusing them of being racist.

I could also go on about the difference between hurt feelings and being denied adequate medical care, access to housing in certain neighborhoods (happened to me less than 3 months ago), jobs etc but that's another can of worms entirely. But please don't accuse me of being a black racist, I have plenty of white friends and I even told a black female patient that she would be terminated from our mmtp for calling a white man a cracker. As soon as she said it I told her that what she said was unacceptable and would not be tolerated in our facility. So can I get a pass?

Anyway the entire point of the OP's post was how to handle the situation. I'll write it again. We're nurses and we deal with characters from all walks of life. People have their prejudices, and we just have to deal with them...period. You think I liked dealing with the 85-year-old white man who was in his right mind but insisted on calling me a maid and worse? Trust me, it was less than fun but since he wasn't refusing my care I had to suck it up and provide him with care because that's my job.

I understand the difference between 1990 and 1919, thank you.

I wasn't saying that one had to do with the other, I simply brought up two different points in the same post, rather than posting twice.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
I knew people would take issue with what I had to say. I'm not surprised.

By "disservice to other members of her race," I meant that she is helping to perpetuate the myth (yes, MYTH) that people belonging to minorities are automatically treated worse because of their race. Period.

The area that I live in has changed dramatically over the last few/several years, with increased numbers of "minority" groups. I could care less, really. But yes, I do see what people call "reverse" discrimination or racism (and the "reverse" is just unnecessary, racism is racism no matter who it's source is)....people that belong to minority groups ASSUME that they will be treated differently BECAUSE they are said minority. It's simply not true, in most cases (and I say most cases because I cannot possibly speak for everyone). What I see MOST here is discrimination towards white people (also read: racism), but it can't POSSIBLY be termed as such because of who it's targeted towards. :uhoh3:

For that pariticular poster, she assumed that she was given Tylenol vs Percocet because of her race. Maybe it was because of a nurse that was not well trained in pain control? I would think that much more likely, but of COURSE it was due to race, what else could it be???? :mad: The statement by that poster, "when we hurt, no one listens" is also VERY, VERY broad, but unfortunately is what that person chooses to believe. Statements like that DO do a disscervice to MANY.

Myth? Are you kidding me? The fact is that minorities are not always automatically treated worse because of their race but sometimes they are. When is it one and when is it the other? How is one to know? I was called the N-word right to my face by an alert and oriented middle-aged female and she wasn't even angry when she said it; it's just such a part of her everday lexicon that it slipped right out. Whoops! Since I don't always have such obvious cues to alert me to when the perpetrator of the misbehavior is racist, I have to use other evidence.

Personally, I assume that when I am treated bad that race is not a factor and I only come to that conclusion in the face of other obvious clues. Thankfully, it doesn't happen often but to deny that it does happen would be the ultimate ostrich moment. Who am I to say that poster's experience was based on race? Who are you to say it wasn't?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg.
Myth? Are you kidding me? The fact is that minorities are not always automatically treated worse because of their race but sometimes they are. When is it one and when is it the other? How is one to know? I was called the N-word right to my face by an alert and oriented middle-aged female and she wasn't even angry when she said it; it's just such a part of her everday lexicon that it slipped right out. Whoops! Since I don't always have such obvious cues to alert me to when the perpetrator of the misbehavior is racist, I have to use other evidence.

Personally, I assume that when I am treated bad that race is not a factor and I only come to that conclusion in the face of other obvious clues. Thankfully, it doesn't happen often but to deny that it does happen would be the ultimate ostrich moment. Who am I to say that poster's experience was based on race? Who are you to say it wasn't?

Thank you for making my point. I never said it didn't SOMETIMES happen. The post I responded to said that it ALWAYS happened. And that person assumes that race is ALWAYS a factor (where you have said you don't assume it is).

Please stop twisting my words.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
Thank you for making my point. I never said it didn't SOMETIMES happen. The post I responded to said that it ALWAYS happened. And that person assumes that race is ALWAYS a factor (where you have said you don't assume it is).

Please stop twisting my words.

Actually, you made no distinction whatsoever. According to your words, it is a myth that minorities are automatically treated worse because of their race. See below. Your words. No twisting needed.

I meant that she is helping to perpetuate the myth (yes, MYTH) that people belonging to minorities are automatically treated worse because of their race. Period.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment