As many of you know, I am currently in nursing school. Today I had lunch with one of my classmates and asked her about her most recent clinical experience. This past week we were to follow a hospice or home health nurse. I had a wonderful experience with my hospice nurse, and was eager to share about it. Unfortunately, my classmate was not so lucky. She went with her home health nurse to three different homes in rural areas not far from Oklahoma City. After the third home visit, the nurse told my classmate it would be best if she went on home and didn't accompany the nurse to the next community. My confused classmate asked why, and was told that because she (my classmate) was black, the nurse could not guarantee her safety in either the town, or the patient's home. Needless to say, my friend went home. As she told me this story, I felt my blood boil, and have been getting angrier by the minute. We are able to write an evaluation of the clinical sites, but I feel that more action needs to be taken. Maybe the news stations need to be notified. Maybe I need to write one of my redneck congressmen. Maybe these damn racists need to realize that if they can't treat all people with respect then they don't deserve home health visits. My friend, however, who suffered this abuse does not want to pursue it. I write this in haste because I have much on my plate today, but I felt compelled to share my friend's story. I know this was an isolated rural area, and does not represent the attitude of most Oklahomans. It is typical, however, of many small communities here. Today I am ashamed of my state.
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Alysa Salzberg
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Comments
Rated.
Marcela - I think the majority respect Obama even if they may not agree with his policies. It is amazing though, how many different groups exist among us.
SuznMaree - I know. I can hardly imagine it myself, but that is what my friend was told.
Thanks Nanate - you are right. Bigots exist in all communities. Just in the larger ones they tend to be outnumbered.
I do not agree with racism in any form. Though I think there is a suggestion within the comments that the change of President does not change the presence of racism. (Forgive me American friends if you think I am speaking out of turn). I would go further and say political policy does not change it neither. It is the attitude in each of the individuals in any country.
I do hope that the ones who are being racist will find a change in direction and see others as people regardless of colour etc.
I like the comment about the redneck congressmen. We have plenty of them, don't we?
Hang in there, dustbowldiva! (I love your avatar, by the way).
"...and was told that because she (my classmate) was black, the nurse could not guarantee her safety in either the town, or the patient's home. Needless to say, my friend went home."
Your friend wasn't scared away by racists. It was the nurse that she was accompanying her who drove her away. "can't guarantee safety"?!?! When was the house call? Midnight? Did neither the nurse nor your friend have cell phones? The nurse mentoring your student friend superimposed racism (real or imagined) on a host of rural patients needing home care (generally not the most dangerous folks) and got rid of her. What a pile of stinking crap.
Did the nurse site examples of why your friend would be in danger? Or did she just observe a confederate flag in some of the yards? Or did she just not want to be seen with an African American in that town??
The nurse that sent your friend away needs to be reported. Let your friend travel to that area with another nurse before we get into a hullabaloo about the are-they-or-aren't-they potentially violent bigots on dialysis.
Thank you Jon for your comment. I think it is true that genuine change happens at the level of individual. Even though the election signified progress we have a long way to go.
Steve - indeed! I would venture to say we have a plethora of redneck politicians here. Appreciate your support!
Mr M. - despicable is a great word here. I agree.
Edgar - You raise some terrific questions. I tend to think there was more to this than just observing a confederate flag on a vehicle. My friend did say that the nurse told her that the one black family that had moved into this town had been "driven out". When that was, or what that entailed I do not know. I absolutely agree that the mentoring nurse is complicit in the whole situation, and needs to be held accountable. It could indeed be that the nurse herself simply didn't want to be seen with an African- America in that small town, but that was not the impression my friend had. A lot of unanswered questions remain here.
What the hell was the home health nurse thinking? She is the one who needs to be called on the carpet.
Send your friend here and I will take her to all the redneck, working class, snuff chewing (Like me) Repubnics (not like me) that she can visit and she will be treated with the respect that someone who intends to devote her life to the healing professions deserves.
Monte
now, about the "bite me" franchise fee...
http://open.salon.com/blog/kevin_lee/2009/04/25/ripping_the_mask_off_americas_racial_masquerade
Right as always Cap'n. And the franchise fee - you could probably name your price since I seem to be using it daily around here.
Kevin - sad but true. Thanks for the link - I will be paying you a visit soon.
Just yesterday I read an article in Newsweek about how the white power groups are growing in size since Obama became President. They're trying to update their look and feel (but not, apparently, their core message) to appeal to moderate people who are upset at the triad of the economy, the new black President (!), and immigration. ::sigh::
On a side note - today I parked next to a car with a bumper sticker that read:
NO SOCIALISM!
This is Oklahoma!
It was all I could do not to scrawl "but racism is just fine" across the thing.
How utterly frustrating this must have been for your friend.
Are you sure it was the "community" that was the problem and not the home health nurse wishing not to be seen with your classmate in this particular community?
Spending my entire youth there, I remember all too well just how bigoted some people can be in Oklahoma, but to be concerned about an entire community seems a little much, even for Oklahoma.
Seems a little suspicious to me.