My first RN job has lead me to a more rural part of the country. As a person of color, I have never experienced racism to this degree.
Some instances are subtle at work, but some are pretty blatant.
My first experience occurred when my preceptor mentioned repeatedly that I have a "black card" so I must be golden at my new position. (I never questioned her on what she meant.) My preceptor also mentioned things like "since you are black things will get stolen from you." Phrases like 'slave driver' have also repeatedly been mentioned in passing with my preceptor. Since I was on orientation, I let a lot of comments go and ignored them, due to fear of being let go or retaliation.
Now, the worst thing is that I have noted on several occasions, confederate flags waving from behind pick up trucks.
I'm not sure if I can stick it out for over a year in this place. What would you do?
As you probably know, there are way more women, AA's, Asians, and other groups who are recognized as minorities now in fields which were once almost totally off limits. Medicine, Law, Engineering, being in Congress, being Governors or other officers of various states, federal government, school boards, and localities, business owners, educators, the military, and many more.
People from these protected classes hire, fire, supervise, and preside over whites. Others work alongside of whites, doing the same work for the same pay and benefits. Before the CRA 1964 when did this ever happen? So the playing field is much more level now.
How has it been achieved? By opening the door to these classes and closing it to, in particular, white males. One example - not so long ago, Med schools were almost totally admitting white males. Now we are seeing fully half the students being female. And there are many students of non-European origin, both male and female. When did we ever see a white patient treated by a non-white physician? Yet now it is an everyday occurrence.
Is the playing field level enough? Some say it is, others think it's not.
I don't wish to derail this thread any further, but these are the stats I was referring to. There are many professions that are not equally split between men/women (nursing is one of them!) including very powerful positions (congress, senate, lawmakers of any kind).
As white children in a middle class neighborhood, my children have a step up (several, in fact) on a minority child who's parents and grandparents were kept poor and uneducated by systemic racism. How is that an even playing field? Is it wrong to help those children get the same opportunities?
Come to Minneapolis/St. Paul. The majority of my fellow co-workers are Black (African immigrants) and everyone gets along. While Minneapolis isn't exactly a "Chocolate City" in the vein of Atlanta and New Orleans (love me some NOLA), it's VERY diverse and generally friendly. You would never receive racist comments from the staff where I work. And, yes, we're hiring nurses in The Twin Cities right now. It's not a bustling job market but it's not weak either. You shouldn't have to put up with people talking **** like that. I'd get out of there PRONTO.
SERIOUSLY, come to Minneapolis-St. Paul. I'm the only White male in an ocean of different shades of Black and Brown. It's different here. We'd welcome you with open arms. - Ryan/Bearscrubs75
This thread makes me sad to know that my own race is still so hateful and racist. I wish I could change people and make them understand that we are all red when we peel away the "peeling" or our outer skin. The only thing that should matter to your preceptor is whether you are a good nurse or not. I know that I have watched people mistreat others only because of the color of their skin and I am sad to say that I was afraid to say anything because I needed my job and I knew if I said anything I would be jeopardizing my own job. Our world is a sad place. However, I do hope you will not give up unless you feel threatened. I pray for change.
I'm so sorry to hear you are going through that. Being a nurse is stressful enough! My husband and I adopted a bi-racial child (white/African-American) 21 years ago. It pains me to think of what she will go through when she gets a career. Oh, if everyone would adopt a child of a different race! What a different world this would be.
I guess I'm a naive middle-aged suburban white lady. I seriously cannot believe that this type of behavior (a) still exists and (2) is tolerated.
OP, I'm sorry for you in your position. I wish that you had other options but becoming a poster child for race relations by reporting your experiences is likely not on your agenda at this time.
1+ well except I'm not middle-aged oh and I'm not a white lady 🤓.
My heart hurts when I hear stuff like this. Just know not all white people are like this. I love all my coworkers because they are great hard working nurses, irrespective of the race gender sexual orientation idgaf. If they work hard and keep their pt's safe you're my type of nurse!
I'm from the South. Please know that many people fly Confederate flags because they equate it with Southern heritage and culture, not necessarily racism. One of my good friends who flies that flag also is married to an African American woman. He simply loves Southern culture, the history, hospitality, food, etc. His wife allows it because she knows what he's all about.
I agree with another poster that slave driver is a common term used in reference to having a tough boss.
I hate that you feel unsafe. That's a terrible feeling to have. You have enough stuff going on as a new RN without having to feel anxious and unsafe too. Definitely relocate! Maybe move to a larger city where the culture won't be so homogenous.
Didn't some states recently take down their confederate flags after the church shooting because the guy had the flag in his possession? What you may call southern culture and pride is seen as overt racism by others, especially when people who shoot blacks are using the flag as their symbol of pride. You have the history buffs saying that the Civil war wasn't about slavery, but the killing of blacks with the confederate flag as their symbol tells me these people aren't going by the more historical significance of that flag...
I don't wish to derail this thread any further, but these are the stats I was referring to. There are many professions that are not equally split between men/women (nursing is one of them!) including very powerful positions (congress, senate, lawmakers of any kind).
As white children in a middle class neighborhood, my children have a step up (several, in fact) on a minority child who's parents and grandparents were kept poor and uneducated by systemic racism. How is that an even playing field? Is it wrong to help those children get the same opportunities?
The thread wasn't derailed, IMO. We are all just sharing our thoughts and experiences.
I don't know how old your children are, or if you hope to get them into Ivy League schools and into associated prep schools that are feeder schools for that league, but if and when you go to apply for them, you might find you're up against quotas that are not favoring white middle class students. The same is true with state universities and private schools that take Federal monies.
The parents and grandparents who have been able to freely attend public schools since about 1968 have not been kept poor and uneducated. Busing of students from inner city, AA areas out to suburban, mostly white schools has included these parents and grandparents. The opportunities available to us for education and all extra-curricular activities, plus guidance counselors to help prepare them for college, have been there for the taking, just as for white students. If you go back to the great grandparents, I would agree that things were more segregated then and opportunities were fewer.
Today there is no real good reason that I know of to be illiterate or uneducated.
Just about anyone can get a GED or go even higher if they want to.
Affirmative Action, MLK, Pres. Kennedy and Pres. Johnson changed everything - perhaps more in some places than others, perhaps not overnight. But change did come.
Is the playing field level? I don't know. I think it depends on exactly what aspect of education, housing, employment, or whatever we are looking at.
Is it wrong to help children of AA heritage have the same opportunities? Of course not. But remember - if there are 10 openings and 7 of them HAVE to be filled by minorities (as defined by law), only 3 whites can get in. So if 20 people apply, 10 won't get in at all. What if your own children are among the 10 that don't get in? They will have to make other plans, go a different route.
Suppose all of the applicants are equal as judged by GPA, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation from their teachers, club leaders, clergy, Senators, and so on. Suppose their entrance essays are equally good and their talents equally desirable.
Remember - 70% of those selected must be minorities. Your kids have only a 30% chance to be chosen. If you are OK with that, fine. I applaud your love of humanity and your willingness to have your children sacrifice for minorities.
I just want to add - I don't think there are too many children today who can't get a decent education.
With Head Start, free or low cost breakfast and lunch, free pre-school and post-school child care, free buses to and from school, with business and charities and individuals giving away free backpacks, free coats, free haircuts, free shoes, free notebooks and pencils, and probably other free items that school kids need there isn't too much more that a child lacks.
I know there are some kids living in terrible homes - homes with drug users who don't fix the kids a meal or oversee their activities, don't keep a clean and reasonably orderly home, who drink to excess, who don't see to the kids medical needs or make sure their clothes are clean and neat.
There is still a need for Big Brothers and Sisters, Boys and Girls Clubs, Scouts, extended family, church, tutors, and neighbors to help parents make sure a child has all the loving support and boundaries they need. Poverty is tough and many, many kids are in this situation. But it seems like more kids than ever are not falling through the cracks.
At some point, kids might choose to go the gang route. Whose fault it that? Society's? Parents'? The kids' themselves? No easy answers. But even these kids can be reached. They can get an education in lock-up if that's where they are. As they mature, perhaps they come to see the errors they're making and choose to get straight. We know some will be lost, but many can be reached and helped to get back on track.
In other words, there is opportunity. More today than ever before.
Fewer men than women in Nursing? If men will apply, men will likely be accepted. How is that a racial problem?
Fewer minorities in powerful positions? Numerous states have or have had AA governors, senators, and congressmen/women. Black Caucus exists. Anyone can run for office. No laws bar minorities from running. What is the problem you see?
kidzcare
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I don't wish to derail this thread any further, but these are the stats I was referring to. There are many professions that are not equally split between men/women (nursing is one of them!) including very powerful positions (congress, senate, lawmakers of any kind).
As white children in a middle class neighborhood, my children have a step up (several, in fact) on a minority child who's parents and grandparents were kept poor and uneducated by systemic racism. How is that an even playing field? Is it wrong to help those children get the same opportunities?