I have been working as a registered Nurse for six months now and cannot help but recognize that people consistently pre-judge me. I am a young African American female and multiple times during my shifts people assume that I am a CNA. The state came to our facility and they also assumed that I was a LPN.
There is a white new graduate nurse who got promoted to nurse supervisor a month after working at my facility. She has an associate degree while I'm attending an ivy league nursing school to obtain my BSN.
I'm just wondering if there are other nurses out there who experience prejudice in nursing.
Oh, and to add, this mentality had really been a double edged sword. Where I currently work, not ONE SINGLE TIME have I seen any instances of AA people get discriminated against or treated badly because of the colour of their skin. Want to ask how many times I've had patients refer to me as 'the stupid white nurse' because I didn't bend to their every whim? Think any of those times had negative repercussions on the patient? Think the media was called because of my being treated badly because I'm white?
Being the only caucasian nurse on a shift was quite an eye opener. I was never discriminated against, however, the assumptions were flying around fast and furious.
So it goes both ways.
OP you mentioned that you are attending an Ivy Leauge school to obtain a BSN? So currently, you are an ADN? Or are you pursuing your masters? In any event, 6 months in for any nurse is a really limited experience to become a supervisor. Regardless of color of one's skin.
I speak with a British accent and people think I am stupid at times! I am a more seasoned nurse so I am able to carry my differences with pride!
As a young nurse you will experience some prejudice at times, as a black nurse this will happen too. I have seen all sorts of prejudices in my career and some not as obvious as color. For Example
I have been working as a registered Nurse for six months now and cannot help but recognize that people consistently pre-judge me. I am a young African American female and multiple times during my shifts people assume that I am a CNA. The state came to our facility and they also assumed that I was a LPN.
There is a white new graduate nurse who got promoted to nurse supervisor a month after working at my facility. She has an associate degree while I'm attending an ivy league nursing school to obtain my BSN.
I'm just wondering if there are other nurses out there who experience prejudice in nursing.
Woah don't flip your card out too fast, how do you even know they are prejudiced? A lot of people think I am the doctor, obviously sexist right?
I've never had that issue. Maybe it's because my lab coat has a monogrammed label on the right chest that has RN on it; I also have one with the same label on the left chest () (both for the deliberately-ignorant visually impaired ), my t-shirts have RN on it; my stethoscope has RN on it; heck, even my car BOLDLY displays my last name and RN on a German tag on the front of the car and my first name on the back. So, I step off the elevator and ask, "Any other questions?".
To the OP, you're an RN now...might as well flaunt it! That will get this issue behind you. Clear the path for all the other :poop: that follows in nursing...literally!
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
((HUGS)) I think we all have faced discrimination at one point or another. I was VERY young when I started nursing and I got "Can I have the real nurse please?" for YEARS. I am also blonde and rather chesty...and it was assumed I was a typical "dumb blonde!" If I heard one more dumb blonde or head nurse joke with dirty knees... I thought I would go crazy!!
I ALWAYS considered the source and their ignorance was probably genetic...I pitied them.
If your coworker is being promoted to supervisor after only one month of working there, I would think nepotism/knowing the 'right people' rather than anything racially-based. but of course none of us can know for sure.
Are you wanting to move up and into a supervisor position, OP? Have you talked to the people in charge of making those decisions? Let them know your intentions, ask what you need to do to get there, etc.
Oh, and to add, this mentality had really been a double edged sword. Where I currently work, not ONE SINGLE TIME have I seen any instances of AA people get discriminated against or treated badly because of the colour of their skin. Want to ask how many times I've had patients refer to me as 'the stupid white nurse' because I didn't bend to their every whim? Think any of those times had negative repercussions on the patient? Think the media was called because of my being treated badly because I'm white?
Just because YOU don't see it does not mean that it doesn't exist. That is a pretty ignorant statement.
It's funny to me when white people try to give their two cents to a minority dealing with racism-perceived or real.
OP, hang in there. I wish you the best. I live in Chicago and have seen it all my life. I've seen family members not hire certain people because they were black, I see neighbors move when a black family moves in next door, I see it in the politics and in everyday conversation, it goes on and on.
Just because YOU don't see it does not mean that it doesn't exist. That is a pretty ignorant statement.
It's funny to me when white people try to give their two cents to a minority dealing with racism-perceived or real.
OP, hang in there. I wish you the best. I live in Chicago and have seen it all my life. I've seen family members not hire certain people because they were black, I see neighbors move when a black family moves in next door, I see it in the politics and in everyday conversation, it goes on and on.
Yes, and it's funny to me when non-whites see racism in complete nonsense situations, just because they are conditioned by society to think that frickin EVERYTHING is because of the colour of their skin. I'm not saying it doesn't happen. I'm just saying that it doesn't happen nearly as often as people imagine.
And your comment was pretty ignorant too if you think about it. The idea that non-whites are the only ones who get discriminated against is laughable. Then again, society teaches us now that it's not discriminating if the target is white. That must be where that comes from.
Ok, off my soapbox now. Flame away guys. This has just become a pet peeve of mine since moving to the States. Never really dealt with discrimination, against Caucasians or others, back home. Thought it was wrong, no matter who the target was. Didn't realize that was wrong until coming here...
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I am going to jump in here and remind EVERYONE to be respectful of each other.
Discrimination is discrimination whether it is race, sexual preference, body size, tattoos, religion...it is hurtful and demoralizing. Females are discriminated against everyday becasue we are paid less just because we lack a member.
As a society in general we need to learn how to be more tolerant and respectful.
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Just because YOU don't see it does not mean that it doesn't exist. That is a pretty ignorant statement.
It's funny to me when white people try to give their two cents to a minority dealing with racism-perceived or real.
OP, hang in there. I wish you the best. I live in Chicago and have seen it all my life. I've seen family members not hire certain people because they were black, I see neighbors move when a black family moves in next door, I see it in the politics and in everyday conversation, it goes on and on.
You have no idea what kind of prejudice I have dealt with because of my religion. I was physically abused by my teachers and classmates. The abuse stopped after elementary school, but I continued to experience prejudice through the rest of my school years.
Even as a nurse I have had to deal with employers who were biased and threatened my job because I wouldn't do things like attend the staff Christmas party. In one case I had to have an attorney intervene.
No one race/religion/sexual preference/gender, etc. has the corner market on suffering.
FWIW, this "white person" sees people as people, not colors.
) (both for the deliberately-ignorant visually impaired 
), my t-shirts have RN on it; my stethoscope has RN on it; heck, even my car BOLDLY displays my last name and RN on a German tag on the front of the car and my first name on the back. So, I step off the elevator and ask, "Any other questions?". 
uRNmyway, ASN, RN
1,080 Posts
Oh, and to add, this mentality had really been a double edged sword. Where I currently work, not ONE SINGLE TIME have I seen any instances of AA people get discriminated against or treated badly because of the colour of their skin. Want to ask how many times I've had patients refer to me as 'the stupid white nurse' because I didn't bend to their every whim? Think any of those times had negative repercussions on the patient? Think the media was called because of my being treated badly because I'm white?