RACISM BY PATIENTS???

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I would like to know as a future nurse, do alot of you deal with racism by patients? How do you deal with it, and how do they treat you if they allow you to help them? Thanks

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How about audism? A prejudice belief of those who cannot hear, their culture, and their language? Or the belief that one who can hear is more intelligent and educatable than his or her deaf counterparts.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Audism - srsly?? Never even heard of it before - It's good to learn something new every day.

The whole "ism" thing is interesting from a nursing perspective. We say we value the unique characteristics of each individual. We also believe in health from a psychosocial-physiological perspective; that one's emotional and spiritual well-being are an important factor in overall health and healing. Sooooooo -- it would seem we have to take into account whatever -ism makes up the patient's emotional worldview. So, a person's request to have only white/black/etc care providers should be acommodated just as we would honor an islamic patient's request to only have female care providers.

Isms can be ugl - but we can't change the world. We have to deal with one patient at a time. At the same time, it is important to identify these situations and make sure that nurses and other staff are not disrespected or subjected to hostility. So, we need to try to accomodate patient needs as much as possible - even if it's the kkk guy's wish to only have white nurses. If we can't accomodate, we need to inform the patient and let them choose another hospital to go to.

I have actually seen more 'reverse' -ism in the clinical environment. Such as when patients (of any background) remark on the overall superiority of Jewish physicians, or the old white guys who ask for the 'little Jap' nurse cause she isn't so mouthy - LOL.

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Specializes in ICU.

I have only had 2 experiences. One was an 80 something "L.O.L" who told me she was glad to have a white nurse because she didn't "like the blacks". I just ignored the comment and did my job. Another was with a male patient who didn't want to be taken care of by an asian male nurse (a co-worker) and he used the term "f****t gook" or something to that effect. I think most people have enough tact (I know, the irony) not to openly mention their prejudices in the hospital, albeit staff or patient.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

I have had patients who are against females/males.

Knowing that this is a cultural issue, I just defer to his/her needs--there is no personalization here--if you personalize the issue, you're just giving away good energy.

I have told racists/gender discriminators to get over themselves when there is no choice.

What can they do?

Complain? Management here--we don't put up with it. We have many, many people who go through many walks of life with many, many different things.

You have to learn to not let anything get to you.

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I do believe that for years and years there were signs posted in patient rooms that said, "we are prohibited by law from changing rooms on kind of race" or some thing along those lines. Does anyone remember exactly what those signs said? I couldn't help but wondering who would want to be a room mate with such a jerk anyway.

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Specializes in Corrections, Cardiac, Hospice.

We had a patient's family complain recently about a social worker who is African-American. I went to management and asked them to please take into account the whole family was throwing around the HORRIBLE "N" word the whole night before and that needed to be taken into account before something was said to her. I think it is terrible that this is even an issue in 2010!

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I once had a pt who refused to be cared for by an AA nurse. We did accomodate his wishes and I was assigned to him. I gave him the very best care I could that night... I even kept trying to get that IV in after the 5th or 6th stick, even though I could usually get it on the first try and wouldn't normally stick someone more than twice, I just knew I could do it and was really determined to give this pt the care he deserved...

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Specializes in ER/EHR Trainer.

Recently had an interesting occurrence in the ER; very elderly white woman with dementia screaming at her 6'5"+ft inch black male nurse "BOY"! when he wouldn't allow her to walk around the hallways due to her unsteady gait. This went on for some time...called me a "stupid b&^%&ch" when I tried to help.

The nurse looked shocked but kept his cool and was extremely professional, the patients and their families who were around this area looked absolutely horrified! For the few grumblings I got from AA it was from young people who had to be reminded that when she was their age, that was possibly how she spoke to a young black man and that at her age nothing was going to change that or her actions. However there was no problem calling the old lady a "crazy cracker" Racisim at its best....

It's truly amazing how your true self and or your life's experiences reveal themselves when you drink, take drugs or are experiencing mental disease.

Racism, ageism, sexism, and so many other isms exist and will continue to do so unless we are all homogenized, the same religion, speak the same language and follow the same customs. It's the ways of humans to see superiority in themselves and the people who act and look like them while denigrating others who don't.

I truly don't believe we will ever leave it behind....because the actions of a few, always seem to speak to the masses...especially true when accompanied by a skin color, religion, or cultural behavior.

M

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Specializes in ICU, Float RN , Quality & PI.

I had one experience where i was caring for a man in his 50s. Seemed to be real nice. Everytime i entered the room we would chit chat. I thought he was a nice man, then he looked at my badge and said my last name, which is a latin name. I am caucasion. He said well hmmm thats odd you dont look like a SPIC. I said excuse me he said your not spanish are you, I replied no sir my husband is 100% puerto rican. He replied with a laugh and said "What a waste. I am sure your parents were ticked off." I was so mad, but I smiled and said, "Nope actually they are happy for me. I walked out of that room with my heart:redbeathe pounding. I was even more mad at myself because, I should have replied (It is none of your business) when he asked me about my last name. People are so rude! I treated him the same however i was very biter inside. :mad:

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you will experience racism and sexism the most.

as a white male i don't exp much racism (i've been called white boy, cracker, etc. it's all kinda funny to me), but i've had to switch patients many times b/c a patient didn't like the race of someone else that was caring for them, whitie to the rescue, ha.

as for sexism, a decent number of females don't want a strange man to see them naked or mess with their goodies. on the other hand i've had males and females request me specifically b/c i was a male.

i don't know the op's race, but if you work with old people you are going to hear the N word and many other nasty words directed at you, those words have all come my way, again, i think it's kinda funny, doesn't bother me.

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hmaried, I hope youre kidding. Im sure you are, but if you arent that is disgusting and abusive. If someone really did do that , they should have their license pulled and possibly jailed for assault. I know we all need to vent and I too have a warped sense of humor, but you make it sound like you are serious and that you punctured that mans skin for punishment over and over.

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