Racial discrimination in Nursing....

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi everyone..I just wish to know if there is some truth to this..well, some of my friends who are now in U.S.A. have talked to us here in the Philippines about some racial problems. When she arrived at Manhattan, she was given a lot of assignments in her area..which she did not mind at all at first. But, there came a time..that she wanted to question herself on why other american nurses are'nt as busy as her..or she has to forego lunch and dinner just to see to it that she has done her duty well...compared to others..who can really smile around and rub elbows with other nurses. She is one of the best nurses we have here..and she can speak the English language well.

She went to the point of really pouring out herself to a friend she had and was there really a great flood of tears.:scrying:

So..may I ask anyone? ..Who do you think really originated in this land of milk and honey? Aren't most of you now in the U.S. also were once from other nations too/? or maybe trace up your ancestors....I hope all nurses will protect nurses and love nurses..be they be black, white, red, yellow or brown. In this way, we stand up in our profession as One.

Originally posted by BarbPick

People never go to the original post to see what the actual thread is supposed to be about,

they just spew the garbage of the day

This person is wrong, her parents taught her too well.

Originally posted by Teshiee

I personally think America is the most racist country in the world. I am just glad my parents didn't teach me to be so ignorant.

Barpick,

Let me say this, I am entitled to my opinion, I am sick of people like yourself trying to take away someone's perception of what goes on in our lives you probaly don't think KKK, and skin heads exist? HuH! just because I can rise above degradation doesn't mean the **** doesn't exist. So since we will never sit down and have tea you really should not assume nothing when you know nothing of what individuals go through comprende?

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Specializes in Critical Care, ER.
Originally posted by Susy K

What Sekar was pointing out is that if you are going to cry foul at one of them, you should cry foul at all of them.

I beg to differ back. Sekar suggested to her that if she didn't like it,to leave this country.

If you don't see how suggesting that someone should leave the country is an escalation then we'll just have to agree to disagree because I'm tired of restating my position over and over again.

I frankly don't necessarily agree with Teshie myself in that I have been to countries whose problems rival our own. Yet I don't interpret her opinion as a personal affront.

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Ahhh, the beauty of freedom of speech...

Here in the US of A we all are entitled to our opinions and are free to voice them...so are the ones who differ in opinion with us.

Live and let live...judge people on their own merit.

Personally, I wouldn't want to live in any other country. I have worked with people of many different ethnicities. My ex-husband, father of my son, is Filipino, BTW. I am caucasion.

Can't we all just get along?

:confused:

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Specializes in LDRP; Education.

bluesky,

As a refresher:

Sorry, it doesn't work like that. If she wants to make public statements like that she has every right to do. Those who disagree, even vehemently, with her statement also have the right to voice their opinions. Even if their opinion is inviting her to leave or accusing her of spewing garbage. Neither of which is any more antagonist or overly aggressive than the original statement. None of the posters has violated the rules of this forum, so what is the problem? If you defend the right of one person to voice their opinion they way they want to, then you have to defend the right of others to voice their opinions in the same manner. Regardless of if you like their opinions or not, they too are entitled to voice them.

It's really that simple.

And besides, absolutist type statements like "it's THE most racist country in the WORLD" sounds to me like this person has already formed an opinion and is not receptive to dialogue regarding the opposite. Short of suggesting that she is free to go elsewhere, not sure what kind of response she would expect to get. It's one thing to intelligently discuss race relations in the US and where we were, where we are, and where we are going, versus announcing it's the worst place in the world to live if you aren't white. To me that's not a discussion by any stretch of the imagination. It's an alarmist statement designed to shut down communication.

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Getting back to the original post.

I worked agency in a hospital were I was the odd (wo)man out. Except for 1 nurse who was from India all the others were Phillipino. I worked my tail off with what I thought were the crappy assignments. "So what" I thought. That's the way it goes when you work agency or assignments. That's the only thing that came to mind for me. What little down time I had I took the first steps to get to know the staff and develop a rapport.

I'm sorry your friend had such a bad experience. It's gotta be tough being so far away from home. Maybe she could take some first steps to befriending her co-workers. She doesn't need to bare her soul but maybe let them know her as a person. Not just the agency nurse.

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Never once did Tershiee say that she wished to live somewhere other than America. She simply summerized her experience. She has that right. To invite her to leave America is ever so insulting. It is the equivalent of telling an African American to "Go back to Africa" when IN FACT we never asked to come here in the first place. I am sure Tershiee knows a good side on America but from the sounds of her posts she has witnessed the not so goosd side as well.

I am saddened when I come to this board as a Nursing student and see professionals and students exemplify the ills of today's world. We are suppose to be caregivers, advocates, etc. I often wonder what goes on behind closed patients doors.

I hope we can get past such a NASTY debate. Everyone sees America through their OWN eyes.

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Specializes in LDRP; Education.
Originally posted by erikanursenurse

Never once did Tershiee say that she wished to live somewhere other than America.

I'm puzzled. Did someone say she said that?

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Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.
Originally posted by LisaRN2B

Ahhh, the beauty of freedom of speech...

Here in the US of A we all are entitled to our opinions and are free to voice them...so are the ones who differ in opinion with us.

Live and let live...judge people on their own merit.

.

Can't we all just get along?

:confused:

Amen. Let us look for the good things we have in COMMON and go from there... makes the "not so good things" seem a whole lot less important....... globesmilie.gif

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okey guys...Thank you all for the overwhelming response. This really paved a way to a great discussion in our field and in the country..United States. Well, unanimously, there has been a fair exchange of ideas that all of you gave , of which all my friends here nod their heads strongly....

I just hope my friends here who has visited the posts, would be able to have a bird's eye view of the "racist" thing that would more or less happen to them in ALL countries they intend to work. :;)

If there had been some misunderstandings here...in their point of views..I am impressed of how you guys go straight to the point and defend posts or much..even offend some...which means...America is really a free nation:)

I hope Filipinos...out there in the country of milk and honey would be able to cope up with their situations. Just remember..there are also Americans in other hospitals who are trying to cope up with the situation of having mean Filipina nurses too.

:cool:

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Originally posted by bluesky

I beg to differ back. Sekar suggested to her that if she didn't like it,to leave this country.

If you don't see how suggesting that someone should leave the country is an escalation then we'll just have to agree to disagree because I'm tired of restating my position over and over again.

I frankly don't necessarily agree with Teshie myself in that I have been to countries whose problems rival our own. Yet I don't interpret her opinion as a personal affront.

No, what Sekar is suggesting is that she isn't forced to live here so she has the opportunity to travel the world, see other cultutes, experience their viewpoints of what racism is.

I also suggested she take advantage of that ability then come back and re-evaluate her stance. YOU were the one who said love it or leave it. It was YOUR posting, YOUR snappy comeback to YOUR intrepretation of what I posted, that suggest she leave country on a permanent basis. YOU jumped to conclusion because you didn't like the way I worded my response. You intrepreted it to suit your own purposes, and then attempted to turn me into a troll to prove your point. erickanursenurse then took that idealogy a step further by stating "To invite her to leave America is ever so insulting. It is the equivalent of telling an African American to 'Go back to Africa' ". All of this based on your interpretation of what I posted. Your interpretation, yet you spout it like it was gospel.

So here we have some of you using your own narrow interpretation of what I said as a personal affront to you and doing to me (as well others) what you accused me of doing to Teshie, being intolerate. In your response to my questions on who is allowed to have an opinion you put much stock on what you literally said, yet you pull your own interpretation out of context of what I said. I feel somewhat irritated at that and yet I seem to be doing some of the same myself here. Fascinating. It must be human nature.

It would seem that we (you, me, all of us) are not quite as open minded and tolerate as we would like to believe ourselves to be or would like others to believe us to be. Watch those glass houses folks, they can get real messy when you start tossing stones.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I do not for ONE NYC minute believe the USA is "the most racist country in the world"

what a silly statement made obviously by someone who has never had the opportunity to travel abroad. If he/she had, they would not have the temerity to make such.

yep racism IS A HUGE PROBLEM HERE....but we are NOT the most racist on the planet. I am surprised how far off-kilter we go when trying to make out points. It is really sad.

As for me, I have Filipina friends who are WONDERFUL nurses and CARING and COMPETENT. I would never make a blanket statement regarding ANY group or race......we all have our "stinkers" don't we?????

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I know some of you are not going to like what I'm about to say.....but I'm just making a general statement about the kinds of things that I have seen. It's very sad how many people who are not native to the US act once they have been here for awhile. Many of them seem to forget where they came from and act like they are so much better or smarter or whatever than the people who are actually native to the US. It would seem to me that they should remember that this is the greatest country in the world and that it is a PRIVILEGE for them to be here and they need to show some respect and be greatful for being here instead of thinking and acting all high and mighty like thier s*** don't stink. I'm not racial or prejudice at all and I know everyone isn't like that but there are PLENTY who are. I am just making a general statement on what I have observed. Sorry if I offened anyone....but I just don't "sugar coat" things.

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