Addressing the Gap in Nursing Workforce Diversity | Brigit Carter | TEDxDuke

There is no one strategy to achieve equity however if we all take steps to contribute, whether it is healthcare related or in your area of expertise we will move much close to narrowing the gap. Improving diversity and inclusivity is all of our responsibility, so I ask you to “Be the Change”.
Dr. Carter is the Director for the Accelerated Bachelors of Science in the Nursing program. Her clinical research focuses on nursing care of premature infants and methods for early detection of feeding intolerance. Her educational research focuses on diversity and inclusivity of the nursing workforce.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@phils.4719]

I would also say it's incorrect that minorities are underrepresented in Nursing. About 25% of nurses are Asian/Pacific Islander (with a huge chunk of that subset being Filipino alone), clearly over representing their population percentage. The question is to ask why some minorities (Latinx, African American) are underrepresented. The implication by the speaker is that there's something unfair going on -- either racism or classisim. That might be the case for some instances, but it's not the only answers. There might be cultural and reasons, and personal choice involved. It can't just be witted down to "oppression". After all, it would be entirely fair to complain about the lack of diversity in the NBA then; where are all my Asian basketball players?

[@lizzeb5110]

Agree with you 100%. If a race of people can not make it today, it's not because of oppression. The Civil Rights movement propelled opportunities for all. It's 2022, get it together and find success already. Stop using the color of someones skin as an excuse.

[@ASPhDRN1922]

Where did you get the 25% from? Searching for the data. Thanks

[@phils.4719]

So, striving for diversity in nursing, I would assume the first step is to reduce the gender gap, right? 88% of RNs are women. Why is nursing such a misandrist institution?

[@jenno5555]

Nursing is a field that was started by white women and that has been the norm. Prefrence is given white women in nursing.Also nursing school is expensive so due to income inequality that mostly affects communities of color its hard to pay for school. There also a long standing history of racism in America that continues to this day. So nursing has a lot of discrimination. Patients can also deny male nurses and poc.

[@gretchendarnley5492]

nursing has been around for time immemorial, however, when it was "popularized" as a profession, it was indeed the white womxn faces who "represented" the profession. It's super easy historically to access the research and documentation of this. Then you have decades long racism and sexism in the profession, keeping white males in the place of doctors, the ones who call the shots, and the white womxn as nurses. All of this is very easy to access. Also, my guess would be that you live on the west coast or in an urban area. I assure you, that there is certainly not 25% asian nurses in the South or the Midwest. The anti-men stance of some nursing professionals or the profession as whole is rooted in societal "norms" regarding womxn being "nurturing" etc. Again, all of this information as to "why" is recorded in history and all you have to do is a teensy bit of research. We all have to unlearn the systems from whence we came. We all have work to do.