Racism in the workplace

[staygold]

Not to be a downer or anything but I have noticed some harsh things said about patients and sometimes even co workers in my unit when they think no one else can hear them. Has anyone else dealt with this?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

OT- The Commuter, I always pictured you a red-haired firebrand in a nurse cap who was smart and didn't take any guff off anyone!!!

You made me laugh! :chuckle

But, seriously, anonymity is the true beauty of the world wide web.

[banditrn]

I know you meant well by that incident, but black people are NOT n-----s. It would have been nice if you just said, 'No, she's black'

How about "No, she's a nurse."

[Midwest4me]

I, too, have heard racial remarks though not as often as prejudicial remarks(comments about other's hair color; i.e. blonds and redheads are sensitive to comments--not all blonds are "dumb"; not all redheads are "hot-headed"). I find that it's best to just walk away from it because if I've tried to argue or lecture against such statements, I'm deemed a "goodie two-shoes".

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

I think the trouble is that it's not like most people are 100% racist or 100% free of any racism. Racism isn't like being pregnant or not. What I mean is that I think it is a matter of shades of gray. Now someone who would ask if a nurse is a n----. That person has awfully dark shades of gray with her racism. But few people have zero racist thoughts. It's just not possible to escape the effects and taints in society. I see hints of racism with minorities and caucasians often in my daily life. Sometimes I catch myself with a subtle racist thought and I'm ashamed. That is the truth. Makes me think of that movie, Crash.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

But few people have zero racist thoughts. It's just not possible to escape the effects and taints in society.

:yeahthat:

[WVUturtle514]

But few people have zero racist thoughts. It's just not possible to escape the effects and taints in society. I see hints of racism with minorities and caucasians often in my daily life.

I know exactly what you're saying. If my mother tells a story that has to do with any person besides your standard white, straight male/female, she will always make it a point in her story to say, "This black guy at work" or "You know Sheila, the lady who sits next to me, well she's a lesbian, but she's the nicest person you'll ever meet......" and then continue with her story. And I always want to shake her and say, "What on earth does that have to do with the story???" I know she doesn't mean anything by it and I would NEVER consider my mother racist or prejudice against anyone, but like multi said, it's not possible to escape the effects that generation upon generation has left on society. The best we can do is provide good examples through our words and actions and to help educate those who make racist comments.

[happytobehere]

there are so many things to overcome in this world and rasicm is a true issue, there is no denying it. I keep my mouth shut most of the time I did have one incident at work. One of the pct's was talking about how she doesn't like being called a black lady by the white girls on the floor! It put some things into perspective for me, and made a laugh a little,,, everyone sees things different from their own eyes. In 50 years we will all be such ethnic mutts there may not even be a race anymore. Who knows, we might have to concentrate on peoples character instead of skin color!!!!

[buildingmyfaith57]

im sorry i get my cna pull for neglect from the state. but sitting here calling any patient client etc etc or co- worker is abuse. and if you're working in a health field give me a break. im sorry this kind of stuff makes me sick.

[Fiona59]

I've had patients make comments about staffs skin colour but never my co-workers. Our health region has such cultural sensitivity training programme its almost to PC at times.

Having said that, I'm often identified as the nurse with an accent and have patients quiz me on my ethnic background. It's almost like its fair game to question the staff because we're there to keep them occupied.

[MMARN, BSN, RN]

I was doing my OR rotation last semester and what I heard made me cringe. We had a patient who was getting a particular procedure done, and because of his skin color, though it was rather subtly that they said it, a comment was made. "You would think that someone like him would be differently endowed." That's a direct quote. I knew what they were talking about, and the only person I saw who didn't laugh was the Hispanic rotating nurse. Everyone else laughed. It's unacceptable.

[leslie :-D]

i've had pts use the 'n' word..usually elderly and demented pts trying to identify one of the staff.

if a pt says "there goes that 'n'", i immediately intervened and said No! there goes mr/mrs so and so".

i don't care how elderly or how demented.

and i don't care if i have to repeat myself 100 times.

i just will not allow use of racial epitaphs on my time.

leslie

[zahryia, LPN]

i've had pts use the 'n' word..usually elderly and demented pts trying to identify one of the staff.

if a pt says "there goes that 'n'", i immediately intervened and said No! there goes mr/mrs so and so".

i don't care how elderly or how demented.

and i don't care if i have to repeat myself 100 times.

i just will not allow use of racial epitaphs on my time.

leslie

Bravo! Thank you! You are one of few, but I appreciate people like you all the time.

I know some people are set in their ways, and there are shades of racism, and no one wants to be PC, blah, blah, blah. But c'mon, comments like the n-word and endowment have NO place in the workplace.