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.
So it's real when it happens to you, but not when it happens to people of color?
Are you for real? Where in the world did you get that? I said that discrimination is wrong, no matter who the target is. What I said was that I haven't seen, or heard, of any instances of Caucasian on minority discrimination in my workplace. But I have experienced it, and have had several Caucasian nurses tell me of their experiences. Yes, of course it happens to minorities. For God's sakes... Seriously, some people just love to spin other people's words until they get something they can take offense at. For the last time, it's wrong, no matter who the target is. Regardless of 'white privilege', white people can be discriminated against, and it's just as wrong as when it happens to a minority.
As for advice? When it's happened to me, after laughing at the idiot who said it, I brushed it off and left the room. What some drug seeking idiot thinks of me or says to get under my skin doesn't matter, nor does it affect my nursing care/abilities. And it sure as heck didn't get them more meds lol.
My white co-workers are the same age and look younger than me and no one ever mistakes them as CNAs. So that eliminates age. What are they using to pre-judge me then?
The definition of prejudice is a preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience. My statement is based on reason because my white co-worker is the same age, has less experience and less education. I never said that an ADN is less competent but I will say that they are less qualified than a BSN nurse and whenever an ADN with less experience is chosen over a BSN with more experience...inequality is brought into effect.
My white co-workers are the same age and look younger than me and no one ever mistakes them as CNAs. So that eliminates age. What are they using to pre-judge me then?
Unless you follow your white coworkers incessantly (which I can only assume you don't), all you can say with certainty is that you've never seen them mistaken as CNAs.
My white co-workers are the same age and look younger than me and no one ever mistakes them as CNAs. So that eliminates age. What are they using to pre-judge me then?
If it bothers you that much, maybe get your name badge to say RN. Or wear a lab coat over your scrubs, if your facility allows. I guess that's one of the advantages of uniforms with colors to match your job. If all nurses wear pink with purple polkadots, no more mistaking you for a CNA.
If age is eliminated as a factor as you say, and looking at the colour of your skin as the culprit, is it possible that in your workplace, most of the nurses are Caucasian, while most of the aides are not? Because it might not be a matter of discrimination in the sense that 'Oh, she's not white, she can't be a nurse', rather than assuming that because you are AA and all the aides are AA, you are probably an aide. You know what they say about people who assume right? Might make them an ass, doesn't make them a racist.
The definition of prejudice is a preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience. My statement is based on reason because my white co-worker is the same age, has less experience and less education. I never said that an ADN is less competent but I will say that they are less qualified than a BSN nurse and whenever an ADN with less experience is chosen over a BSN with more experience...inequality is brought into effect.
Agree with your definition, but I must disagree with your concept of what qualifies a person to be a manager. I work with plenty of ADNs, one of whom is the boss of several BSNs. Personality as well as experience play a big part in who gets promoted and who doesn't.
For instance, I'm a BSN-prepared RN with more experience on the inpatient ward in my hospital than most of the other RNs up there. Does that mean I'd make a good manager? I'd do my job of course if that's what I was assigned to do, but I don't enjoy management, and no amount of education or work experience is likely to change that.
I'm sorry you're experiencing this, but workplaces are complex, especially when it comes to management. There may be (and likely is) more behind this scenario than you're aware.
Also, as you stated that you're in school (Ivy league or not really doesn't matter) to get your BSN, you and your promoted coworker are both effectively ADNs until you graduate with your degree.
How exactly do you know that AA are not discriminated against when you are bias and view the world through the lens of one that does not sympathize with the oppressed? I say this because the tone of your post suggests that you are ignoring the fact humans naturally group people by instinct. Psychology was a prerequisite for nursing right? I am confused as to why you are an educated registered nurse who cannot at least sympathize with my post. It is apparent that race is involved but you are regressing back to an ignorant mind set. I am not using the word ignorant to offend you. I am using it to say that you are going back to a mind of someone who knows no better and makes judgments based on what you learned growing up or on television. I hope that you can let go of the baggage you acquired from being in this society which taught you to ignore injustice and uphold this fake sense of equality.
How exactly do you know that AA are not discriminated against when you are bias and view the world through the lens of one that does not sympathize with the oppressed? I say this because the tone of your post suggests that you are ignoring the fact humans naturally group people by instinct. Psychology was a prerequisite for nursing right? I am confused as to why you are an educated registered nurse who cannot at least sympathize with my post. It is apparent that race is involved but you are regressing back to an ignorant mind set. I am not using the word ignorant to offend you. I am using it to say that you are going back to a mind of someone who knows no better and makes judgments based on what you learned growing up or on television. I hope that you can let go of the baggage you acquired from being in this society which taught you to ignore injustice and uphold this fake sense of equality.
Please point out exactly where in my post I stated that people do not discriminate based on race.
Your assumption that I am "bias a view the world through the lens of one that does not sympathize with the oppressed" is an incredibly bold assertion based on a few posts that are intended to shed light on alternative reasons for the promotion of your colleague over you.
As far as your accusation that I'm basing my opinion off of what I have heard on television...I'm not sure how that's even relevant to this discussion except to attempt to discredit alternative theories brought up for consideration and distract from the point. But please, continue to judge a complete stranger even more based off of your own prejudices. I am a traveled, well-educated nurse who has experience with wildly diverse workplaces from the big hospitals of DC to the small-town hospitals across the US.
I am not convinced it is apparent that race is involved, which is why I suggested other potential reasons. Your decision to interpret that as "unsympathetic" suggests that the biased party in this conversation is you.
Then can you tell me what does qualify someone as a racist? It seems that most of you posters are calling these people asses or jerks...everything except racist. I personally wouldn't take it that far and call them racist. I would be using the wrong terminology. Prejudice is the correct term. Does a racist person have to hang someone to be considered a racist or can their pre-judgment qualify them as well? There seems to be a blurred line.
chrisrn24
905 Posts
OP it could be your race, or your age. I'm young and like others have said, I frequently get "can I see the nurse?" "Can you get my nurse?"