Supervisors at Abington Memorial Hospital in Philadelphia have explained that they sought only to avoid a confrontation when they told African American employees to stay out of a patient's room after a man ordered that no blacks assist in the delivery of his child.
Philadelphia Inquirer, Oct. 3, 2003
NAACP wants hospital supervisors punished
Local leaders call for Abington hospital to discipline those who told minority staffers to stay out of a patient's room.
Local NAACP leaders yesterday called on Abington Memorial Hospital to discipline supervisors who told minority employees to stay out of a patient's room after a man demanded that only white staffers assist in the delivery of his baby.
( By Oliver Prichard, Inquirer Staff Writer, 10/04/2003 03:01 AM EDT)
I'm sorry racism. sexism, etcl still exists, but it does. We cannot force someone that doesn't want us to take care of them. I am a large woman and apparently one night in the ER a woman was quited disgusted at my size as she demanded to speak to the person in charge. Funny thing was, that was me! It turns out she thought fat people were lazy, disgusting, dirty people and didn't want me near her. I could have told her too bad, I'm your nurse, but why upset an already upset woman and why put myself in that situation. I take care of enough freaks without forcing myself on one. In healthcare you have to do what's best for all involved. In the Philly case, not having blacks take care of her may have made the patient feel better and by not forcing themselves on her it surely made the blacks in the staff feel better. There are times to teach people about racism, but when they are sick and in need is not the time.
Why is everything blown way out of proportion?? If the man wanted sky blue pink staff that was his choice--HE is paying the bill, after all!! Why can't nurses just pull together and provide care without looking for real or imagined slights? Admittedly, the man was a putz but why, when the hospital was trying to avoid a problem, does it always become the error of the staff? Just let it go, for pete's sake. There are more important things to worry about!! Get a life!!!
I guess i see it differently. I agree that safety is paramount however just because you re a consumer/patient/customer you don't always have a say in who is helping you. Do you get to ask for a different checker because you don't like her at walmart or mcdonalds or a different pilot to fly your plane because you don't like something about him? Would you send the cop that answers your 911 call away because he is a minority or the paramedics?obviously the answer is no! if you have a problem with the person on duty genreally thats too bad and you either deal with it or choose no to receive the service. If a patient came into the er bleeding from a gunshot wound and the attending wasw a person of color would you waste the time looking all over to find a doctor that was acceptable to that patient? and what if there wasn't one? If enough people are allowed to behave in this manner and make ridiculous requests then it is going to be less cost effective for administration to hire minorities and we will be right back to where we were before civil rights and equal opportuniy employment acts went into effect. This is why i have a problem with this issue. You can be as racist as you want to be IN YOUR OWN HOME OR COMMUNE or wherever the h@#$ these people live, but when you choose to get a service from a public place then you are agreeing to be served by the people whom are on duty. The safety issue can be easily handled by firmly stating the rule and allowing the person to leave if they don't like it and by telling him that ANY disruptive behavior WILL NOT BE TOLERATED AND 911 WILL BE CALLED! unless he wants to miss the birth of his child he would probably suck it up and deal. How far are we going to let this customer rights crap go? soon people will want brand new instruments and equipment used becaused the others that were used on minorities are contaminated hmmm I'll bet administration would put there foot down to buying new equipment.
You can be as racist as you want to be IN YOUR OWN HOME OR COMMUNE or wherever the h@#$ these people live, but when you choose to get a service from a public place then you are agreeing to be served by the people whom are on duty.
We had a Spanish speaking pt in the ED who needed an interpreter. He refused my services as an interpreter; even though I'm fluent in Spanish, I was not Hispanic, and he wanted a Hispanic interpreter.
Guess I should have raised holy royal havoc for that, but I just chalked it up to him being a jerk.
We had a Spanish speaking pt in the ED who needed an interpreter. He refused my services as an interpreter; even though I'm fluent in Spanish, I was not Hispanic, and he wanted a Hispanic interpreter.
Guess I should have raised holy royal havoc for that, but I just chalked it up to him being a jerk.
I asked a friend about this, and he said it is like a catch 22.
Most nurses wouldn't be 100% sure that the pt.'s family member would translate word for word what the nurse is saying, therefore they want an interpreter.
A pt. who is scared might see a 'racial ousider' (lack of better term, sorry) as someone who won't tell them the whole truth, therfore, might be more comfortable hearing what's being said from another hispanic.
some shifts, we have no one that speaks Spanish that's working, and we have to use the language line...
If he wants assurance that a Hispanic interpreter will be there, then bring one or go to a country where Spanish is the official language...
Sorry, But I am a Caucasian that speaks (and teaches) Spanish fluently, and take offense to that patient's lack of gratitude. I happily interpret anytime I'm asked.
Gratitude shoots out the window typically at our ER.
We get thank you notes a week later, 75% include an apology for being a "jerk" to the staff, a few have sent flowers of thanks (unfortunately they can't stay, allergies ya know).
The problem with bringing your own interpreter is that it's typically a family member, who might stretch or hide part of the truth for the pt.'s "benefit" or certain words like lady parts or member the interpreter might no want to say out of embarrassment.
Specializes in Geriatrics, Pediatrics, Home Health.
QUOTE/"How far are we going to let this customer rights crap go?"/end QUOTE by smkoepke
Unfortunately, it is the customer who pays our wages. So we must kiss a*$ and try to do what they want. Before you say, not they don't the insurance companies pay the bill. Remember, one way or another, the patient still pays the bill. Either by working for the company and getting insurance as a benefit or as several on here stated, by paying their own way.
Bottom line here, I think, is this: If we force someone to accept someone they don't want, aren't we then battering our patient? We tell them that they ARE going to get this white person whether they like it or not, then yes we can be accused of assult and battery.
Don't you guys think that if these ignorant folks ran into walls in public places that maybe they would change their tunes?
You can be racist in your own home but here in a public hospital we don't condone those attitudes and will not bend to accommodate your racist views.
If the neuro surgeon on call is black and you come in with a skull fracture...you have a choice...be treated by the black doc or go home.
I'm sorry but this crap sucks
:kiss
It is my understanding that in the field of nursing, we meet and take care of many people that we personally would not care to associate will. We also are in a position that requires us to meet them where they are (right now today) and accept them as they are and provide their care. [bUT, I have the right to refuse to take care of an individual that was a problem for me too.]
I personally avoid "racist" people--but we all practice discrimination on a daily basis. We have to. Otherwise we would end up making doing things that would compromise our integrity.
I certainly agree that this situation "sucked" but we are a profession and a discipline that will not necessarily be able to change people when they come to see us at our work place. We have taken an oath to provide care despite that fact.
There are times when as a patient, I might have said that I only wanted a certain person to care for me (which is sort of the opposite of what occured in this situation). There are times when I have had problems with a patient, and I have needed to switch up with someone else so that they receive the care they needed or required, and I didn't have to work with them.
We don't know, perhaps this guy's wife had been raped by a black guy and was carrying the rapist's child. Can't we consider how bad that would be for them as a couple or a family?
You are correct this situation was bad. It boils my blood when I see or hear of these types of circumstances--I have been the recipient of discrimination...and it hurt my feelings so bad. So I understand how insulted the medical/nursing staff may have felt in that situation--but I think the administration did the best they could do under the circumstances.
luv2nurseinER
16 Posts
I'm sorry racism. sexism, etcl still exists, but it does. We cannot force someone that doesn't want us to take care of them. I am a large woman and apparently one night in the ER a woman was quited disgusted at my size as she demanded to speak to the person in charge. Funny thing was, that was me! It turns out she thought fat people were lazy, disgusting, dirty people and didn't want me near her. I could have told her too bad, I'm your nurse, but why upset an already upset woman and why put myself in that situation. I take care of enough freaks without forcing myself on one. In healthcare you have to do what's best for all involved. In the Philly case, not having blacks take care of her may have made the patient feel better and by not forcing themselves on her it surely made the blacks in the staff feel better. There are times to teach people about racism, but when they are sick and in need is not the time.