Image
By: Susan McRae, RN BScN MHSM, LTC best practice co-ordinator
While everyone was learning to cope with the new life challenges related to COVID-19, Black people were continuing to deal with the same old issues related to racism.
It is not unreasonable to suggest that most people would rather not talk about anti-Black racism, microaggressions or systemic inequalities. However, one’s discomfort talking about anti-Black racism should not mean turning a blind eye to practices with real-life consequences. Eleanor Roosevelt said: "We have to face the fact that either all of us are going to die together or we are going to learn to live together. And if we are to live together, we will have to talk."
Engaging in conversations about anti-Black racism needs to happen more often. These conversations are an important part of an intellectual dialogue to allow for opportunities to better understand the challenges of Black people.
Let’s Talk about Anti-Black Racism and Discrimination in Nursing is a monthly webinar series hosted by RNAO, which supports meaningful discussions with those who face anti-Black racism while working in health care.
The first webinar on June 15, 2021, included many heartfelt stories from Black nurses in different health-care sectors sharing what it is like to work as nurse while being Black. Subsequent webinars have looked at addressing barriers to career advancement for Black nurses. Guest speakers have shared views on anti-Black racism in the education system, the toll systemic racism and discrimination has on Black nurses’ self-esteem and overall mental health in relation to career development, and the lack of Black nurses in executive and academic positions.
Webinars have also focused on systemic racial discrimination and microaggressions in the workplace, and how organizations deal with complaints of anti-Black racism and support for Black nurses in the workplace. Guest speakers and participants discussed approaches used for responding to and coping with these issues. Participants learned about becoming an ally of the Black nursing community – what it is to be an ally against anti-Black racism – including responsibilities and behaviours of effective allyship and available resources. One of the webinars also focused on building a mentorship movement for Black nurses, including examining what mentorship is, the value of mentoring for both the mentor and mentee, and characteristics of a successful mentor/mentee relationship. This webinar concluded with thoughts on how to shape RNAO's mentorship initiative for Black nurses.
Fundamentally, tackling anti-Black racism in the workplace requires an acknowledgement that it exists.
As a community, there must be open-minded conversations about intolerance, unconscious bias, unfair power structures, and the need to create healthier, more inclusive workplaces.
RNAO’s Let’s Talk about Anti-Black Racism and Discrimination in Nursing webinars takes place every third Monday of the month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Click here to register for the next webinar.
Join RNAO’s new interest group – Black Nurses Leading Change (BNLC) (a working title), which supports the Black Nurses Task Force. Its goal is to inform RNAO and its members on issues affecting Black nurses and nursing students. Click here if you are a current RNAO member and would like to join this interest group for free until Oct. 31, 2021. When you join, you will be eligible to win one of three RNAO uniforms ($50 value) or one of ten (10) copies of the association’s book: Transforming Nursing Through Knowledge ($99 value). Click here for contest rules.
