I am an African American and I am a family nurse practitioner. I have experienced discrimination as both a patient and a provider and I make it my mission to force change in our country
As a black American FNP, I greatly appreciate you addressing this topic, especially stressing that we as providers just need to ask how someone identifies. It's so important realize that black Americans are not a monolith regarding how we wish to be addressed. You've brought up lots of good points, and I think you did an amazing job as always!
Thanks so much Liz! As a 29 y/o, Black American, a RN for several years, and also a FNP student, I really appreciate this video. Thanks for listening and for all of your effort in making this video. We need more providers like you. I absolutely love your channel and I appreciate your sincerity. God bless!
The word “black girl” or “blacks” don’t offend me, because I know I’m black my black is beautiful. I think it’s more when people don’t recognize my blackness for how beautiful I am and instead it being a negative, like “oh she black” instead Of it being seen in that negative light. I hope that helps! ♥️💫💯✊🏽
I think the education we receive as medical professionals is also to blame. I graduated from nursing school last month and most of the assessment skills we learned were based on white or fair skinned people. Signs and symptoms in black people were, at best, a side note or after thought. And that's if they were even brought up.
lack of education on assessment skills in non white populations is HORRIBLE. I totally forgot I wanted to address that here. Thank you for mentioning it. I only learned dermatology on fair skin. That is NOT helpful for real life
When I learned how to start IVs in nursing school, the mannequin arms were only white and super easy to find the veins. In class, I don’t remember professors teaching about assessment findings in different races.
I am currently applying to nursing school and I am so glad I am seeing this comment and watching this video. I work as a math teacher and am doing a ton of my own studying and on my own journey to have an abolitionist classroom but my journey will shift when I change careers. I can now 100% be that student to ask if this will be different on a POC, including myself! Perfect example is what @Abby Madden said. So thank you for already starting the next chapter of this journey for me!
Thank you Liz! My grandmother, who was born in the 1930’s lost her father due to complications from the flu; the closest hospital to them would not admit black patients. My grandmother told me that the nurse took one look at them, called them a derogatory term for African Americans and told them to drive nearly 20 miles to the hospital that treats people like them! He died 1 day later! My grandmother never fully recovered from that and she has never fully trusted the healthcare system since then. Change can only come when everyone, not just Blacks or people of color, partake or even start to have these tough conversations. People have to be made uncomfortable in order for a change to occur. I’m beginning nursing school this fall and I am only 1 of 2 black girls in my program. It is added pressure to not only succeed but excel and to also ensure that what we are taught can apply to every skin tone and color. I hope you have more videos on this topic😊.
Blessed RightNw same thing happened to my grandma. Though she could pass for white, she was considered a colored back then because she is black. When they saw her husband and found out she was black, they made her leave the hospital.
I am a black woman who a to be hospitalized as infant for six months for a medical condition. I recieved treatment from two local hospitals close to my home. I currently have been diagnosed for three (3) different mental health diagnoses ever since I was six years old. I went to my local university where I obtained my Asociate of Art in general science in 2008. Also, I obtained a Bachelor's degree in Food and Nutrition in 2016. I am currently enrolled in the Master of Health and Human services at the same university. I have worked as a Dietary Aide at a nursing home. I have seen and witnessed the racial disparities in healthcare. I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy life to acknowledge and share this information with us your viewers of this channel the racism that African-Americans and Black people face in healthcare. Thank you so much.
i just absolutely love you honestly. def one of my favorite healthcare youtubers. using your platform to speak about what matters instead of sweeping it under the rug.
Thank you for making this video. As a black/African American nurse, I feel it's very important for us to be concious of the cultures we care for. For my BSN capstone, I did a project on Social Determinants of Health, and how the affect readmission rates. My classmates had a difficult time understanding my outline, but I was able to educate them on why some cultures have higher readmission rates and less preventative care. I thank you for educating yourself and willing to be open minded on this topic. It is very uncomfortable, but it can't be swept under the rug. I've had my own personal experiences in college and the workplace, but I have used them as learning tool which has gotten me further than some expected....I look forward to your next video...#futureFNP😊
Liz, I am an African American, and I am so GRATEFUL you took the time to address this problem in our society! In our community these disparities have affected us deeply in many ways! I had a beautiful aunt who was an RN. She and her family were returning from a vacation to Florida 1960s. Since she was a nurse, at the hospital she indicated that she was having a heart attack and needed care! Unfortunately, she wasn't treated and so she passed away, leaving a husband and five children! Our family was crushed while there were so many resources available to save her life! Can you imagine leaving your family while you are fully aware that you have no ability to save yourself? I can only pray that we can help to restore trust within the systems that have historically dominated our communities. 🙏 💞🙏
THANK U FOR TALKING ABOUT THIS NURSE LIZ!!!!! Don’t ever stop being awesome and talking about the tough things even if some of your followers don’t like it. We need to have these conversations if we want to improve outcomes for POC.💕💕💕
At least you are speaking on it, as a APP, what you are doing is huge. My first experience was in kindergarten, being called a dirty bad word and not understanding why. Kids dont see color. Not being able to hang with friends bc of my color, and being told that the parent says kids who look like me steal. MIND YOU THIS WAS IN THE 80s but good grief still happens today. I remember being 1 of 5 nursing students of color in my entire class, the only person of color in a particular rotation, the instructor sees my classmates smiles at them looks over at me and nothing. I thought I was just being sensitive until the entire rotation this instructor ignored me, would send to another nurse and then show the other nurses cool hands on skills. To this day when I care for patients and precept other nurses I get asked if I am a real nurse. I get called little gal. I love nursing and caring for all people. I will be a APP soon and will volunteer my time to public health to educate. In regards to defining one's racial identity, I think we should move towards asking the person what they identify with.. I am a mixed race woman, the option of "other" does not define me. I am glad you are having this conversation. Thank You, You are amazing.
I totally understand your story, and that is the reason why I hate when people say "you guys make everything about race" because in our lives it most of the time is because we have to think about how we represent ourselves because of our skin color. So thank you to this beautiful soul for talking about it and also thank you to you for not letting that change your mind in what you want to do with your life.
I think just acknowledging that there is alot to learn on this topic helps in opening the conversation. Listening to each other, learning from history and what others live with and being open to be educated on what we don't know especially if it has not afffected you personally is a huge step towards change. Education and listening are the keys. Thank you for presenting this information from a medical perspective. Keep the conversation going to allow others to be heard. I hope we can see change during our life times.
Thanks for opening up about this. So many refuse to talk or see this. It’s very discouraging. And as an AA, I have experienced racism from among other AA’s as well.
Thank you for using your platform to speak out on this subject. And i really do respect the fact that you openly stated that dont know everything but you want to know more. You are amazing, caring,and very very thoughtful.i just want you to know how appreciative i am that our caucasian counterparts are seeing our struggles.
Thank you for speaking on this! I think it’s such a nebulous topic that is so hard for people to talk about or even listen to. We’ve been preaching the past 4-5 decades plus. I’m not the expert on this, but I can say for my black patients I do understand that I’m in a unique position to relate and build a bond of trust with those who share this color with me. I still get patients that do not trust what non POC providers have to say because throughout our lifetimes we’ve been ignored, no one has explained things to us, or just simply they’ve never had access to care. And while I do acknowledge the black community has a lot of work to do ourselves, I can say (at least in my area & generation) that we have made such awesome progress ourselves. This a delicate issue that we ALL need to aware of and ALL of us must continue to work on. Additionally, thank you for bringing the FACTS! -Signed a black male RN.
Thank you for creating this video, Nurse Liz! It's great that you went outside your comfort zone to discover how to better assess and care for your patients. When something doesn't apply to us, we often look the other way because it doesn't resonate. I do this myself. I'm pleased you mentioned the difference between Black Americans and others from around the globe currently living in America. Not to go on a tangent, but it's easier to put people in a box, devoiding them of individuality. Humans are diverse, and no two people are exactly alike. Even twins have differences. Last year, I attended a conference with NEA in Seattle. We heard from doctors, big Pharma, and government agencies (NIH). I learned that eczema (atopic dermatitis) is less prevalent in Africa. In some African groups, they don't have it at all. Interestingly, Black Americans suffer from something that, historically, our African counterparts don't. A lot of it is environmental. You're correct that people are different even within the spectrum of being Black (Caribbean, or West Indian, Black Hispanic, African, etc...). I appreciate your wanting to do better for your patients and viewing them as individuals. Thank you for your understanding and your open heart. :)
Words cannot express my gratitude for you...for choosing to stand up and use your platform to bring awareness to very real racial disparities in healthcare. This is was what drove me to go back to school to become a nurse practitioner. I graduate in August and I look forward to being a voice for my people and providing quality healthcare to everyone. You spoke about some things that truly enlightened me and opened my eyes, even with being black and already facing these realities. Thank you again for everything that you’re doing, despite the backlash that you have and will receive. Never stop fighting the good fight. Your patients are very fortunate to have you as their provider!
This is amazing! I plan to use this as a visual aide for my project covering the same topic! You are so on point with your facts, I love how you shared perspective! This was extraordinary and helpful!!! Thank you!
I am pretty young and fairly new to the medical field. I’ll be honest, this is not something that was very well taught in school, and for that I’m sorry. Often times, I think historically many countries are not very good at telling the entire truth when it comes to our past regarding racism. A lot of what was talked about in this video, I honestly didn’t know, so I didn’t fully understand how or why people of color did not trust the healthcare system. I am sorry if you fall in that category, until now I truly did not understand. I hope to be a safe place for everyone of any walk of life, of every race, of every religion, period. I hope going forward, we as an entire healthcare system can more openly discuss this and better educate ourselves and all of our new members joining the medical field. In this day and age, everybody deserves the same ease of access and quality of healthcare. Be safe, everyone.
Nurse Liz agreed. I always knew racism was still a very pertinent issue in healthcare, but I never knew why or the full extent, I still don’t. My heart hurts for all these poor people who have been failed. It’s no wonder they do not trust us.
I just did a paper on this for my BSN. I had no clue this was an issue prior to writing my paper!!! I appreciate you for dedicating a video to this topic.
Thank you for this video. This has given me a lot to think about heading into my first semester for DNP/FNP. I know it will definitely have an affect on the way I will practice caring for my patients. As you, I thought it was “enough” not to be racist and not see color. I was proud of the fact that growing up in a racist home I was able to raise my children not to be racist or see color. After researching and educating myself over the past few weeks I realized that I did a disservice to my children. Teaching them to care for all humans was a start, but recognizing that the system is broken and being an advocate for change and speaking out against injustice and disparities is extremely important. My children are young adults and every evening at dinner we discuss what is happening and ways in which we can support and improve on the systems that are broken. It’s starts with using our voice for change and going from there. Inward reflection can be difficult and uncomfortable, but it needs to be done to enable lasting change.
Liz, I have been your biggest fan for some time now. I want to tell you how proud I am to see you speaking out against racism and having the tough conversations. Thank you for your humility in explaining that you are still learning. And thank you for not waiting to speak up and speak out until you are 100% informed on the situation. We need voices NOW. I would not be able to make it this far in nursing school without you. I rewatch your videos when I am stressed because you are so encouraging. “It’s fine. It’ll be fine. You’ll be fine” are your T-shirt phrases, FYI 😆 I will buy ALL the Nurse Liz merch the day it launches 🚀 I am so glad I get to enter the healthcare system alongside NPs like you. You are calm in my storm. You are an inspiration. You are just plain AWESOME. And I am so thankful I get to KEEP loving you because you did the right thing during this season of racial awareness and conversation.
Wow awesome video. You are such a open minded and humble person. There is so much positive things about your video and the way you view things I just can’t name them all. Thanks for the video!!
Yes, thank you for making this video! I’ve seen so many of your nursing videos and always thought you were a really sweet person. This video only confirms your beauty is inside out 💜
Thank you for talking about this Liz!!! Its definitely something I think about (and am sometimes scared of) going into healthcare. It makes all the difference that NPs like you are taking the time to have the conversation!💕
Overall great video. It is appreciated that you not only spoke out but did research so that you were informed when you spoke out on your platform, kudos. I know you are one to continue discussions so I look forward to you continuing to be an ally for Black/African American populations especially in healthcare. Keep it up Liz!
Awesome!! Thank you for addressing all these issues we've dealt with for years. There are so many disparities that Blacks/African Americans face in life and it all has a trickle down effect. You have definitely hit the nail on its head when you discussed how racism has lead to mistrust in the health community, which leads to inability or unwillingness to seek care that is needed which leads to a multitude of chronic health complications. These issues are all compounded and we have seen where it has now led to a bigger problem across the United States. I'm in grad school currently and as a patient I've been treated very differently up to that all enlightening moment when it is realized that I'm in the health field. In fact, a few yrs ago, i was diagnosed with a tumor. Had surgery to remove it, 6 months later i did my follow-up MRI scan. A nurse practitioner that works alongside my surgeon called and left a message on my phone that they received my results and that it was good and there was no need to follow-up again until a year later. I've never met this nurse practitioner before and wasn't even aware he had one, but it was to be expected because he was a very prominent surgeon in one of the best hospitals in the country, so i'm sure he had to have help being that he was extremely busy. Anyway, I digressed, she did a couple things wrong, first, she should not have left a results voicemail on my phone, but i guess there was probably a good reason why she did that and secondly, the results she gave was inaccurate, because i could clearly feel and visualize a lump in that same vicinity. I had received a copy of my own results that was written by the radiologist, and it clearly had on it the explanation of a mass that was visible along with its dimensions. This led me to believe one of two things, either she didn't even read the report, or she read it and decided she was just going to misdiagnose, not knowing i was a nurse and had access to my own results and the knowledge needed to decipher such results. Even when i called her back and was explaining to her my findings, she was still trying to cover it up by telling me that it was prob a collection of fluid post surgery. That was when i told her i had the MRI results in-front of me and it clearly states "a mass". And 6 months post op that wouldn't be a normal or likely finding. I then told her i was a nurse and demanded she put my doctor on the phone. At this point, I could hear her demeanor changed and that's when she told me that hew was unavailable and was in surgery, and then i said, well please schedule me to come in to see the doctor, i would like to come in for him to assess me, because the mass is firmed and fixed. This experience shook me to the core when i realized how corrupt our healthcare system is. I was 35 yrs old then with two very young children under the age of 5, to care for. This could have been a catastrophic outcome if i didn't have the background to self assess and understand the findings of my results. Long story short, i went in ( 5hrs away from home) and had to have a second surgery to remove it. I didn't file any formal complaint or lawsuit because at the time i had just wanted to put the entire ordeal behind me being that this was my 3rd surgery (first one happening 8 yrs prior and only 8 months total between the 2nd and 3rd) .... and that hospital, specifically, that doctor is one of the highest rated surgeons in the world that could operate on my tumor without possibly any complications or long-term effects/deficits/deformities . I had just felt like i was stuck between a rock and a hard place and wanted to move on with somewhat of a normal life with my family. It is sad to see the type of world we live in today. I had the best insurance money could buy and very sub par unethical care. Nurse Liz, i hope that this profession continues to produce more people like you. Hoping and praying it will change by the time my kids are grown as i would never want them to experience the things that i have. Love and light, Namaste.
Liz you always do an amazing job explaining. Thank you for getting uncomfortable and posting this as well as doing what you have to make a difference in and outside your practice. I appreciate you!
I really appreciate your vulnerability and honesty. I’ve seen a lot of people become defensive about needing to educate themselves and I’m immediately unfollowing those people. We all need to educate ourselves on this topic because there are beautiful, amazing lives literally on the line. Speak up, be blunt, be unpopular! ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for making an effort to understand and educate others on the complexities that exist within our culture. You did a wonderful job and I sincerely appreciate you and your channel!
Thank you so much for making this video!!! It is so important. It means a lot that you are sharing your personal experiences and recognizing your privilege. Also- thank you for the resources. I am excited to get a new book on my reading list!
Thank you for addressing racial disparities in our healthcare system in an authentic & vulnerable way. It is so encouraging to see nurses and providers take a stand on this issue and work towards change!
I really enjoyed watching this video! One of the reasons why I wanted to go into healthcare is to try and tackle the racial disparities that exist in healthcare. Being a minority you kinda grow up not trusting healthcare from the get go and I want to be a part of the next generation that regains that trust.
I know this is a “seasoned” video, but I just want you to know as an African American nursing student I appreciate you. My very first video I watched of you was about your move from North Carolina. I found a great respect for you then. You have also been apart of the inspiration to become a nurse. Please keep educating yourself and educating your colleagues. We, too, will educate ourselves on how to live in this big world harmoniously. I wish you continued success in every corner of yours and your family’s life! -futurenurse
Hi Liz! I watched this video and was thoroughly enlightened by it. I was not at all aware of the racial disparities in healthcare as opposed to just social life and so I felt that you making this video was a great way to bring racial inequality to light in the healthcare system. I couldn’t believe the amount of negativity this video is receiving as racism is very real and something that we need to work towards together to overcome. So I just wanted to come by here and let you know that I/we appreciate you and this video so much. As someone who is dreaming of working in the healthcare field one day, I am so ready to make a change and work towards inclusivity and compassion. Thank you Liz!! You rock!
Thank you so much for using your platform as it is very necessary to have theses conversations going forward . As a Black NP I have been having these conversations with others. It’s definitely going to take all of us working together to create change. I have spoken to the black community at large to let them know that it’s just the nonblack races that have to adapt and change but we also have to change our mindsets we cannot continue to use the excuse that we don’t follow treatment plans because we don’t trust doctors when it’s often related to lack of understanding of the treatment plan. So in working with minority groups to self advocate and gain knowledge that they need to have better outcomes will definitely help. This is just a small portion of the topics discussed. But we definitely have work to do. Again thanks for sharing
As a Latina I get it from both ends. I have experienced racism from one group and then I have experienced how minorities try to minimize my accomplishment as an NP by asking me to fetch them a gown or wash clothes sheets and blankets even after introducing myself as a Cardiac NP.
Thank you so much Liz for this video. I really appreciate this completely unbiased and open/honest commentary. If we don't talk about it and make changes we won't move forward
Thank you so much for speaking on this! This is a huge problem not only as a black patient but as a black healthcare professional as well. The healthcare industry is extremely racist! Not everyone obviously but as a whole community, it is a very racist place.
Truthfully when I was in Nursing school this was skimmed over in the last semester during leadership and how to treat your fellow co-worker and if you have a higher position how to treat those of different race, but the racism towards African Americans was more addressed. I was the only African-American in the class and it got so quiet and most of the time my teacher stared at me like I'm the one who needed teaching about racism toward my own race. It was interesting how uncomfortable everyone got and I do think this needs to be addressed more in schools, then maybe everyone won't feel the need to tip toe and will stand up for their African American counterparts, but when it came to speaking on discrimination against women it was an uproar. So definitely uncomfortable for me to be a woman and African American that day
That’s not only how I felt it class but also frequently in the workplace. Very often, I dreaded the days I had to go to work knowing I would be the only black nurse on the floor. It was exhausting, and alot to deal with. Thanks Liz
Such an incredibly genuine, thoughtful, and well done video! Liz, you're an excellent representative of humanity, and our incredible nursing profession. It truly will take well meaning unmyelinated allies like yourself to have those difficult conversations with their other unmyelinated co-workers to address medical disparities in healthcare of all minorities seeking healthcare. A personal story. My grandmother worked her entire life as an aide in whites' only hospital in the south. All of her 12 children were born at home with "midwives". She, nor any of my aunts or uncles had any formal healthcare, or stepped into a hospital or doctor's or dentist's office until they were well into their late 20's once they graduated college, and were professionally established. Most of my aunts and uncles were part of the great migration and left the south, at the urging of my grandparents, in order to survive the threats of Jim Crow and the KKK. My earliest memory is traveling with my dad down south, and being chased by clan members with hoods and shotguns. Any who, my grandmother always wanted one of her girls to become a RN. I had an aunt who died of breast cancer while she was in nursing school, and I was able to fore fill my grandma's wishes, which I didn't know she had until I was an RN for 6 years, graduating with a BSN at 40. You should make another video on this topic after reading the book on medical racisms. There is so much information in the book that would shock all of us in healthcare, and needs to become widely known, and acknowledged. Information is empowering. Blessings to you and your family.
Thank you for this Liz, while I knew about some of this, I also learned so much. Something else I think worth mentioning, that could be of value is the role providers play as mentors to children and young adults, even unknowingly. I live in a very rural part of California. A Black colleague and I discovered that we had the same healthcare provider, who is also Black. My colleague shared that this was the first time in her life that she had a healthcare provider who looked like her and this was incredibly valuable to her and her children. To be able to have someone considered an authority figure who looked like them. I know white providers can't change the color of their skin, but in addition to education to understand and change racial disparities in healthcare, it would be awesome if they started by diversifying their staff, their reading materials in the waiting room, the posters on the wall. Representation matters.
How awesome are you! I had irregular periods and I was wondering about having babies. Girl, they gave me no information. None. Left in the dark! I have a beautiful baby girl now but it was a surprise because I thought I couldn't have kids.
Gabbie M I had the same experience and I grew up white and middle class! I cannot imagine being a woman (a challenge to receive adequate healthcare) plus being a person of color... I’m sorry the medical system failed you. Congrats on your babe however ❤️
I’ve been a CNA and actually just passed my nursing boards yesterday. Working in a nursing home, I’ve taken care of residents that were racist towards other CNAs/nurses. They were given a pass because they are old and set in their ways. I always found it appalling how residents refused to evolve and be a better person and accept those with black skin. In nursing school, my professors rarely talked about assessments and cultural preferences of non-white patients. In clinicals, my clinical instructor never assigned a student a black patient. One week when census was low, our clinical instructor actually put two nursing students with a white patient rather than assign a student a black patient. At the time, I didn’t think anything of it. I now realize how unacceptable the racial injustice present in the healthcare system. Thank you so much for using your platform and voice to shed light on such an important topic.
congrats on passing your boards!! But whoa. That is super sad. like. yikes. I'd probably email the program director if you can! People in leadership roles acting that way is causing a lot of harm
Nurse Liz I reported the clinical instructor for various other things, and she is no longer employed by the college. It’s sad that someone with such a small mind towards those with different color skin was given the opportunity to attempt to teach racism to potential nurses.
the reason i decided to even join nursing school was because of discrimination i received by so many nurses and doctor not listening to me and dis guarding how i deal with things. i even have my now amazing dr and nurse tell me they are aware how black patients are treated different and why they protest because of this . im currently on my journey to because a midwife nurse and my husband to become a NP hes European/ american and knows i deal with this and many African Americans or black people deal with . he hopes to be a nurse of change due to this. thank you for this video and all your nursing videos
I’m a med student in Dublin and at my school they place an emphasis on teaching us “cultural competency” alongside our medical training. I think that’s really important because it teaches us to be culturally sensitive and respectful towards everyone
Thank you for this insight. Though not black, I am a minority and have similar experiences. Bias training could be an important first step in changing this. Would love to see a future episode on your experience with patients with chronic “invisible” conditions, either from the HCP or patient side. I know you’ve mentioned your family’s needs in the past as well as how broke the US healthcare system is. For me, these two aspects go hand in hand, and would love your advice on how to navigate the challenges. Thanks for all your content. I subscribed last week, and I’m trying to watch all the videos as quickly as I can when I have a second even at 3:46 am EST ❤️
My husband and I have been TTC for almost 2 years. I have been to the same doctor 5 times, she still hasn't seen me, (never) and her nurses haven't done any physical exams. 5 times and I have been told to reduce my blood pressure to conceive. My blood pressure rises when I see doctors because I don't trust medical professionals. As far as they are concerned, I don't have ovaries or a V because no one has ever looked. I want to find a black doctor, but those seem even harder to find. I feel like my husband, and I will never have kids because we need the help of doctors, I feel so dehumanized when I leave each time, but we want a baby so bad I keep going back, hoping it will be different. Thank you for posting this. I look forward to hearing more from you.
Thank you for being transparent about African American issues in healthcare. Hopefully we all can do something to change the narrative. I am Haitian American and I have experienced racism as an RN and soon to be AGACNP.
Thanks for making this video. I think we like to ignore issues that are difficult and that make us uncomfortable. And I think that does a great disservice to patients. We have known about these issues in health care for a while, and nothing has been done. I hope this is the impetus for change. I'll be honest, I was in undergrad when I learned the difference between Hispanic & Latino. We all need to be open to learning new things and changing our behavior accordingly.
Nurse Liz you are doing amazing work. I suggest for medical care workers to take a ethnic studies/ history class to have a foundation of understanding ❤.
My mom always experiences racism when she goes to the hospital alone because she doesn’t speak English very well. I’ve always had to advocate on her behalf because of how many people in health care don’t think everyone deserves equal treatment when they’re at the hospital. I’m praying that our world will become a more tolerant place and everyone gets a fair shot!
Thank you! I identify as black but very fair skinned. That is a great question due to growing up in that community I have all the same fears and resistance to health care. I had a baby recently and definitely was teated different and was terrified of dying due to it.
Thank YOUnurse Liz and for explaining the disparities. I have experienced racism both as a patient and nurse at work. It breaks my heart when I realise my children are treated differently by a provider vs my friends children who happen to be Caucasian. I have learned to live a healthy lifestyle and avoid healthcare visits except the mandatory or emergency, like vaccinations. But I feel as a nurse I do have a responsibility to make a change so I'll use these experiences as learning and teaching moments.
Black people have undergone so much the last 400 or more years since the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade. What a strong people, what courage despite the terrible hardships.
Thank you for speaking on this topic. I don’t think some people realize that a lot of affluent black cities/towns, were burned down by racist mobs of people for no reason. We never got that back.
Nurse Liz, as many others have already said, THANK YOU for bringing this conversation to the forefront and addressing it head-on - I really appreciate you! I'm in an accelerated nursing program for my BSN right now, and I plan to pursue a DNP to be a women's health and family nurse practitioner. I am especially interested in providing culturally sensitive care to patients, especially Spanish-speakers. That ambition lies in the background that I am a person of mixed heritage (Mexican-Irish-American) who lives in a pretty rural state, where that is an under-represented population. Which brings me to my comment: thanks for thinking about creating a space on forms (or in conversation) to indicate racial/ethnic preference. I think an important consideration is to ask this of EVERY single patient, regardless of whether they look like a race other than White... That way there is no risk of assumption, but this also removes the feeling that as a person of color, they must always do the work of speaking out first. I personally always struggle to indicate the right bubble on forms - I don't consider myself to be "Race: White + Ethnicity: Hispanic", which is often the closest option available to me. Something else that occurred to me about that is, if you want to provide culturally-informed care, you may want to play around with how to present that to patients. Some people might feel that "treatment guided by ethnic background" (20:07) could be a negative thing, if they have previously been lumped together in a stereotype of race/ethnicity. I can't tell you how many groan-out-loud-bad readings on cultural sensitivity I've read throughout my program, which actually tried to provide "helpful stereotypes to understand about cultures you might encounter". I think the bottom line is what you've mentioned throughout your vlogs, as well as this one: provide individualized care, listen to your patients, and BELIEVE them! :)
Hi Liz Thank you for speaking up. I definitely believe that if you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem by default. You did a great job approaching this so needed discussion and action.
Hi Liz! Im black and I noticed in the video when you briefly talked about asking people pronouns you said whats your preference. And in conversations I've had I have been told to just ask what someones pronouns are and not to say the word preference because how someone would like to be identified as is not a preference. thanks!!
excellent video and very wonderful to see a non black speak out about this matter. We all need to work together for a better healthcare experience for all including blacks
Thank you so much for taking the time to educate yourself and the world. I am a non-Black POC and learned so much from this video, and how I can be a better ally to the Black community.
My ancestors built this country. Two fought in the Revolutionary War for the independence of the US. To me, Barack Obama is an African American. His father is from Kenya, I am black. My father had a wound at the bottom of his foot smaller than a size of a quarter. The hospital called and asked permission to amputate his entire leg. I talked to the person asking why cut off his entire leg for a such a small wound. Of course I said no. I was shown how to take care of the wound and it had gotten much smaller. I had a miscarriage, dr stopped by my bed and said I should have a hysterectomy. I told him he needed to go back to Medical School. I told him my several options. My mom had an unnecessary surgery. There was nothing wrong with her. I had a Dr prescribe a hp medication. Problem I did not have HP. When I asked the Dr she said your blood pressure was normal. I thought you were taking medication for it. Thank goodness she left the practice. Do I trust the US medical establishment as a black woman?? Hell To The NO!!!!!!! Thank you for taking the time to make this video. It gets me so angry. New subscriber to your channel. When I was school a student said black people can go to Africa. I asked him where his family was from. He said all 4 of his grandparents were from Germany. I gave him my family history and then said who needs to go back to where? I really feel the term AA, Native American, Hispanic American justs let these people know the US is not our country. Though whose country is this?
Nurse Liz, The term African American is a term used for people of African origins. It is not a racist term. Its just like saying Mexican American or Asian American. We are of American culture with certain ethnic origins. Anyone that does not understand that...it's more of an intellectual thing.
Hi. I think she meant preference, I am of African decent but I prefer the term Black. My parents are from 🇭🇳 Honduras and it’s what I was brought up with. It’s all a matter of preference. Fact is like she said we are all American.
There's a line of thought that suggests that the term "African American" doesn't acknowledge the diaspora and the variety of cultures and geographical places that people come from, and so "Black" is a more inclusive term. Either way, people have the right to choose the term that feels more appropriate for them.
My mom is from Haiti. She doesn't identify as African American. She's Haitian. It's not racist to call black people African American, but it excludes the various people of the African diaspora in America.
This topic is so important because at least addressing the disparities and trying to better will hopefully build trust. Many health disparities are present because of the distrust caused by systemic infrastructural racism. Racism is so inhuman even animals of different species show each other empathy (it’s been captured).
I love your speech and honesty regarding this important topic even though I never worked in the field of healthcare.also, let me clear up something regarding our identity which I hear a lot of people used the term black, negro, African American that isn't a nationality or no way close to our true identity. Nationality was one of the fundamental rights under the universeal declaration of human rights that was violated during the time of slavery against my ancient forefathers .
I love you so much for doing this!! Thank you for taking time to educate yourself and then to educate others!! I live in a very “southern” city where white people seem to be ok with continuing to be uneducated as long as their problems are still in the spot light.... this is what we all need.
That’s from a proud African America Woman who has been following you. :). Thank you for being brave enough to utilize your platform to help educate and promote equality.
I am an African American and I am a family nurse practitioner. I have experienced discrimination as both a patient and a provider and I make it my mission to force change in our country
I so hope that we can see some change within our careers
Some people are just pretty and some are pretty-ly smart, and you're the latter.
As a black American FNP, I greatly appreciate you addressing this topic, especially stressing that we as providers just need to ask how someone identifies. It's so important realize that black Americans are not a monolith regarding how we wish to be addressed. You've brought up lots of good points, and I think you did an amazing job as always!
Thanks so much Liz! As a 29 y/o, Black American, a RN for several years, and also a FNP student, I really appreciate this video. Thanks for listening and for all of your effort in making this video. We need more providers like you. I absolutely love your channel and I appreciate your sincerity. God bless!
Thank you for the encouragement and for watching!
The word “black girl” or “blacks” don’t offend me, because I know I’m black my black is beautiful. I think it’s more when people don’t recognize my blackness for how beautiful I am and instead it being a negative, like “oh she black” instead Of it being seen in that negative light. I hope that helps! ♥️💫💯✊🏽
It’s offensive to many people though.
And people who are not so called “black” know it.
Calling someone “white” is just as ridiculous.
I think the education we receive as medical professionals is also to blame. I graduated from nursing school last month and most of the assessment skills we learned were based on white or fair skinned people. Signs and symptoms in black people were, at best, a side note or after thought. And that's if they were even brought up.
lack of education on assessment skills in non white populations is HORRIBLE. I totally forgot I wanted to address that here. Thank you for mentioning it. I only learned dermatology on fair skin. That is NOT helpful for real life
Nurse Liz check out brown skin matters on IG super helpful
When I learned how to start IVs in nursing school, the mannequin arms were only white and super easy to find the veins. In class, I don’t remember professors teaching about assessment findings in different races.
I am currently applying to nursing school and I am so glad I am seeing this comment and watching this video. I work as a math teacher and am doing a ton of my own studying and on my own journey to have an abolitionist classroom but my journey will shift when I change careers. I can now 100% be that student to ask if this will be different on a POC, including myself! Perfect example is what @Abby Madden said. So thank you for already starting the next chapter of this journey for me!
@@therese_roseeeFBA or different than POC.
Thank you Liz! My grandmother, who was born in the 1930’s lost her father due to complications from the flu; the closest hospital to them would not admit black patients. My grandmother told me that the nurse took one look at them, called them a derogatory term for African Americans and told them to drive nearly 20 miles to the hospital that treats people like them! He died 1 day later! My grandmother never fully recovered from that and she has never fully trusted the healthcare system since then. Change can only come when everyone, not just Blacks or people of color, partake or even start to have these tough conversations. People have to be made uncomfortable in order for a change to occur. I’m beginning nursing school this fall and I am only 1 of 2 black girls in my program. It is added pressure to not only succeed but excel and to also ensure that what we are taught can apply to every skin tone and color. I hope you have more videos on this topic😊.
Omg that's awful about your great Grandfather. Thank you for sharing. Congratulations on your nursing school acceptance!
Blessed RightNw same thing happened to my grandma. Though she could pass for white, she was considered a colored back then because she is black. When they saw her husband and found out she was black, they made her leave the hospital.
Nope I still don't trust non blacks.
I see you black women love white people.
I am a black woman who a to be hospitalized as infant for six months for a medical condition. I recieved treatment from two local hospitals close to my home. I currently have been diagnosed for three (3) different mental health diagnoses ever since I was six years old. I went to my local university where I obtained my Asociate of Art in general science in 2008. Also, I obtained a Bachelor's degree in Food and Nutrition in 2016. I am currently enrolled in the Master of Health and Human services at the same university. I have worked as a Dietary Aide at a nursing home. I have seen and witnessed the racial disparities in healthcare. I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy life to acknowledge and share this information with us your viewers of this channel the racism that African-Americans and Black people face in healthcare. Thank you so much.
i just absolutely love you honestly. def one of my favorite healthcare youtubers. using your platform to speak about what matters instead of sweeping it under the rug.
Thank you for making this video. As a black/African American nurse, I feel it's very important for us to be concious of the cultures we care for. For my BSN capstone, I did a project on Social Determinants of Health, and how the affect readmission rates. My classmates had a difficult time understanding my outline, but I was able to educate them on why some cultures have higher readmission rates and less preventative care. I thank you for educating yourself and willing to be open minded on this topic. It is very uncomfortable, but it can't be swept under the rug. I've had my own personal experiences in college and the workplace, but I have used them as learning tool which has gotten me further than some expected....I look forward to your next video...#futureFNP😊
Liz, I am an African American, and I am so GRATEFUL you took the time to address this problem in our society!
In our community these disparities have affected us deeply in many ways! I had a beautiful aunt who was an RN. She and her family were returning from a vacation to Florida 1960s. Since she was a nurse, at the hospital she indicated that she was having a heart attack and needed care! Unfortunately, she wasn't treated and so she passed away, leaving a husband and five children! Our family was crushed while there were so many resources available to save her life! Can you imagine leaving your family while you are fully aware that you have no ability to save yourself?
I can only pray that we can help to restore trust within the systems that have historically dominated our communities. 🙏 💞🙏
THANK U FOR TALKING ABOUT THIS NURSE LIZ!!!!! Don’t ever stop being awesome and talking about the tough things even if some of your followers don’t like it. We need to have these conversations if we want to improve outcomes for POC.💕💕💕
At least you are speaking on it, as a APP, what you are doing is huge. My first experience was in kindergarten, being called a dirty bad word and not understanding why. Kids dont see color. Not being able to hang with friends bc of my color, and being told that the parent says kids who look like me steal.
MIND YOU THIS WAS IN THE 80s but good grief still happens today. I remember being 1 of 5 nursing students of color in my entire class, the only person of color in a particular rotation, the instructor sees my classmates smiles at them looks over at me and nothing. I thought I was just being sensitive until the entire rotation this instructor ignored me, would send to another nurse and then show the other nurses cool hands on skills. To this day when I care for patients and precept other nurses I get asked if I am a real nurse. I get called little gal. I love nursing and caring for all people. I will be a APP soon and will volunteer my time to public health to educate. In regards to defining one's racial identity, I think we should move towards asking the person what they identify with.. I am a mixed race woman, the option of "other" does not define me. I am glad you are having this conversation. Thank You, You are amazing.
Thank you for sharing. You are doing great things ❤️
I totally understand your story, and that is the reason why I hate when people say "you guys make everything about race" because in our lives it most of the time is because we have to think about how we represent ourselves because of our skin color. So thank you to this beautiful soul for talking about it and also thank you to you for not letting that change your mind in what you want to do with your life.
i can’t say this enough but thank you, thank you THANK YOU for making a video on this. ❤️
Thank you for watching!
I think just acknowledging that there is alot to learn on this topic helps in opening the conversation. Listening to each other, learning from history and what others live with and being open to be educated on what we don't know especially if it has not afffected you personally is a huge step towards change. Education and listening are the keys. Thank you for presenting this information from a medical perspective. Keep the conversation going to allow others to be heard. I hope we can see change during our life times.
Thanks for opening up about this. So many refuse to talk or see this. It’s very discouraging. And as an AA, I have experienced racism from among other AA’s as well.
This is how things change - listening, discussing, learning, asking questions...caring enough to change. Thank you!
Thank you for using your platform to speak out on this subject. And i really do respect the fact that you openly stated that dont know everything but you want to know more. You are amazing, caring,and very very thoughtful.i just want you to know how appreciative i am that our caucasian counterparts are seeing our struggles.
Thank you so much for the encouragement and for watching!
Thank you for speaking on this! I think it’s such a nebulous topic that is so hard for people to talk about or even listen to. We’ve been preaching the past 4-5 decades plus. I’m not the expert on this, but I can say for my black patients I do understand that I’m in a unique position to relate and build a bond of trust with those who share this color with me. I still get patients that do not trust what non POC providers have to say because throughout our lifetimes we’ve been ignored, no one has explained things to us, or just simply they’ve never had access to care. And while I do acknowledge the black community has a lot of work to do ourselves, I can say (at least in my area & generation) that we have made such awesome progress ourselves. This a delicate issue that we ALL need to aware of and ALL of us must continue to work on. Additionally, thank you for bringing the FACTS!
-Signed a black male RN.
I hope we can all talk about it more!
Thank you for creating this video, Nurse Liz! It's great that you went outside your comfort zone to discover how to better assess and care for your patients. When something doesn't apply to us, we often look the other way because it doesn't resonate. I do this myself. I'm pleased you mentioned the difference between Black Americans and others from around the globe currently living in America. Not to go on a tangent, but it's easier to put people in a box, devoiding them of individuality. Humans are diverse, and no two people are exactly alike. Even twins have differences. Last year, I attended a conference with NEA in Seattle. We heard from doctors, big Pharma, and government agencies (NIH). I learned that eczema (atopic dermatitis) is less prevalent in Africa. In some African groups, they don't have it at all.
Interestingly, Black Americans suffer from something that, historically, our African counterparts don't. A lot of it is environmental. You're correct that people are different even within the spectrum of being Black (Caribbean, or West Indian, Black Hispanic, African, etc...). I appreciate your wanting to do better for your patients and viewing them as individuals. Thank you for your understanding and your open heart. :)
Words cannot express my gratitude for you...for choosing to stand up and use your platform to bring awareness to very real racial disparities in healthcare. This is was what drove me to go back to school to become a nurse practitioner. I graduate in August and I look forward to being a voice for my people and providing quality healthcare to everyone. You spoke about some things that truly enlightened me and opened my eyes, even with being black and already facing these realities. Thank you again for everything that you’re doing, despite the backlash that you have and will receive. Never stop fighting the good fight. Your patients are very fortunate to have you as their provider!
This is amazing! I plan to use this as a visual aide for my project covering the same topic! You are so on point with your facts, I love how you shared perspective! This was extraordinary and helpful!!! Thank you!
I am pretty young and fairly new to the medical field. I’ll be honest, this is not something that was very well taught in school, and for that I’m sorry. Often times, I think historically many countries are not very good at telling the entire truth when it comes to our past regarding racism. A lot of what was talked about in this video, I honestly didn’t know, so I didn’t fully understand how or why people of color did not trust the healthcare system. I am sorry if you fall in that category, until now I truly did not understand. I hope to be a safe place for everyone of any walk of life, of every race, of every religion, period. I hope going forward, we as an entire healthcare system can more openly discuss this and better educate ourselves and all of our new members joining the medical field. In this day and age, everybody deserves the same ease of access and quality of healthcare. Be safe, everyone.
I wasn’t taught about it at all in school. Which the more I learn about it, the more appalling I realize it is that this is all glossed over 😩
Nurse Liz agreed. I always knew racism was still a very pertinent issue in healthcare, but I never knew why or the full extent, I still don’t. My heart hurts for all these poor people who have been failed. It’s no wonder they do not trust us.
I just did a paper on this for my BSN. I had no clue this was an issue prior to writing my paper!!! I appreciate you for dedicating a video to this topic.
Thank you for this video. This has given me a lot to think about heading into my first semester for DNP/FNP. I know it will definitely have an affect on the way I will practice caring for my patients. As you, I thought it was “enough” not to be racist and not see color. I was proud of the fact that growing up in a racist home I was able to raise my children not to be racist or see color. After researching and educating myself over the past few weeks I realized that I did a disservice to my children. Teaching them to care for all humans was a start, but recognizing that the system is broken and being an advocate for change and speaking out against injustice and disparities is extremely important. My children are young adults and every evening at dinner we discuss what is happening and ways in which we can support and improve on the systems that are broken. It’s starts with using our voice for change and going from there. Inward reflection can be difficult and uncomfortable, but it needs to be done to enable lasting change.
Thank you so much for all of your content. It means so much to me that you care.
Liz, I have been your biggest fan for some time now. I want to tell you how proud I am to see you speaking out against racism and having the tough conversations.
Thank you for your humility in explaining that you are still learning. And thank you for not waiting to speak up and speak out until you are 100% informed on the situation. We need voices NOW.
I would not be able to make it this far in nursing school without you. I rewatch your videos when I am stressed because you are so encouraging. “It’s fine. It’ll be fine. You’ll be fine” are your T-shirt phrases, FYI 😆 I will buy ALL the Nurse Liz merch the day it launches 🚀
I am so glad I get to enter the healthcare system alongside NPs like you. You are calm in my storm. You are an inspiration. You are just plain AWESOME. And I am so thankful I get to KEEP loving you because you did the right thing during this season of racial awareness and conversation.
Thanks for the encouragement and for being here :) So appreciated
Wow awesome video. You are such a open minded and humble person. There is so much positive things about your video and the way you view things I just can’t name them all. Thanks for the video!!
Hello, I am a 56 year old black man, thank you for addressing topic. Awesome
Yes, thank you for making this video! I’ve seen so many of your nursing videos and always thought you were a really sweet person. This video only confirms your beauty is inside out 💜
of course! Thank you for the encouragement and for watching!
Part of being a nurse is advocating for our patients. Thank you so much for this video, we all need this type of information in social media. #BLM
Thank you for talking about this Liz!!! Its definitely something I think about (and am sometimes scared of) going into healthcare. It makes all the difference that NPs like you are taking the time to have the conversation!💕
Overall great video. It is appreciated that you not only spoke out but did research so that you were informed when you spoke out on your platform, kudos. I know you are one to continue discussions so I look forward to you continuing to be an ally for Black/African American populations especially in healthcare. Keep it up Liz!
Awesome!! Thank you for addressing all these issues we've dealt with for years. There are so many disparities that Blacks/African Americans face in life and it all has a trickle down effect. You have definitely hit the nail on its head when you discussed how racism has lead to mistrust in the health community, which leads to inability or unwillingness to seek care that is needed which leads to a multitude of chronic health complications. These issues are all compounded and we have seen where it has now led to a bigger problem across the United States. I'm in grad school currently and as a patient I've been treated very differently up to that all enlightening moment when it is realized that I'm in the health field. In fact, a few yrs ago, i was diagnosed with a tumor. Had surgery to remove it, 6 months later i did my follow-up MRI scan. A nurse practitioner that works alongside my surgeon called and left a message on my phone that they received my results and that it was good and there was no need to follow-up again until a year later. I've never met this nurse practitioner before and wasn't even aware he had one, but it was to be expected because he was a very prominent surgeon in one of the best hospitals in the country, so i'm sure he had to have help being that he was extremely busy. Anyway, I digressed, she did a couple things wrong, first, she should not have left a results voicemail on my phone, but i guess there was probably a good reason why she did that and secondly, the results she gave was inaccurate, because i could clearly feel and visualize a lump in that same vicinity. I had received a copy of my own results that was written by the radiologist, and it clearly had on it the explanation of a mass that was visible along with its dimensions. This led me to believe one of two things, either she didn't even read the report, or she read it and decided she was just going to misdiagnose, not knowing i was a nurse and had access to my own results and the knowledge needed to decipher such results. Even when i called her back and was explaining to her my findings, she was still trying to cover it up by telling me that it was prob a collection of fluid post surgery. That was when i told her i had the MRI results in-front of me and it clearly states "a mass". And 6 months post op that wouldn't be a normal or likely finding. I then told her i was a nurse and demanded she put my doctor on the phone. At this point, I could hear her demeanor changed and that's when she told me that hew was unavailable and was in surgery, and then i said, well please schedule me to come in to see the doctor, i would like to come in for him to assess me, because the mass is firmed and fixed. This experience shook me to the core when i realized how corrupt our healthcare system is. I was 35 yrs old then with two very young children under the age of 5, to care for. This could have been a catastrophic outcome if i didn't have the background to self assess and understand the findings of my results. Long story short, i went in ( 5hrs away from home) and had to have a second surgery to remove it. I didn't file any formal complaint or lawsuit because at the time i had just wanted to put the entire ordeal behind me being that this was my 3rd surgery (first one happening 8 yrs prior and only 8 months total between the 2nd and 3rd) .... and that hospital, specifically, that doctor is one of the highest rated surgeons in the world that could operate on my tumor without possibly any complications or long-term effects/deficits/deformities . I had just felt like i was stuck between a rock and a hard place and wanted to move on with somewhat of a normal life with my family. It is sad to see the type of world we live in today. I had the best insurance money could buy and very sub par unethical care. Nurse Liz, i hope that this profession continues to produce more people like you. Hoping and praying it will change by the time my kids are grown as i would never want them to experience the things that i have. Love and light, Namaste.
Oh my goodness thank you for taking the time to write this…
Liz you always do an amazing job explaining. Thank you for getting uncomfortable and posting this as well as doing what you have to make a difference in and outside your practice. I appreciate you!
Thank you for starting the conversation and using your platform to give voice to a topic that has been ignored for far too long!
I really appreciate your vulnerability and honesty. I’ve seen a lot of people become defensive about needing to educate themselves and I’m immediately unfollowing those people. We all need to educate ourselves on this topic because there are beautiful, amazing lives literally on the line. Speak up, be blunt, be unpopular! ❤️❤️❤️
For sure. There's no point in being popular if you aren't standing up for what you think.
Thank you for making an effort to understand and educate others on the complexities that exist within our culture. You did a wonderful job and I sincerely appreciate you and your channel!
Thank you so much for making this video!!! It is so important. It means a lot that you are sharing your personal experiences and recognizing your privilege. Also- thank you for the resources. I am excited to get a new book on my reading list!
Thank you for addressing racial disparities in our healthcare system in an authentic & vulnerable way. It is so encouraging to see nurses and providers take a stand on this issue and work towards change!
I really enjoyed watching this video! One of the reasons why I wanted to go into healthcare is to try and tackle the racial disparities that exist in healthcare. Being a minority you kinda grow up not trusting healthcare from the get go and I want to be a part of the next generation that regains that trust.
You are going to change the lives of so many people!
Nurse Liz thank you so much! I graduate nursing school in December so I can’t wait!
I know this is a “seasoned” video, but I just want you to know as an African American nursing student I appreciate you. My very first video I watched of you was about your move from North Carolina. I found a great respect for you then. You have also been apart of the inspiration to become a nurse. Please keep educating yourself and educating your colleagues. We, too, will educate ourselves on how to live in this big world harmoniously. I wish you continued success in every corner of yours and your family’s life! -futurenurse
Thank you so much for standing up In the healthcare field and making this video Nurse Liz!
Hi Liz!
I watched this video and was thoroughly enlightened by it. I was not at all aware of the racial disparities in healthcare as opposed to just social life and so I felt that you making this video was a great way to bring racial inequality to light in the healthcare system. I couldn’t believe the amount of negativity this video is receiving as racism is very real and something that we need to work towards together to overcome. So I just wanted to come by here and let you know that I/we appreciate you and this video so much. As someone who is dreaming of working in the healthcare field one day, I am so ready to make a change and work towards inclusivity and compassion. Thank you Liz!! You rock!
Thank you so much for using your platform as it is very necessary to have theses conversations going forward . As a Black NP I have been having these conversations with others. It’s definitely going to take all of us working together to create change. I have spoken to the black community at large to let them know that it’s just the nonblack races that have to adapt and change but we also have to change our mindsets we cannot continue to use the excuse that we don’t follow treatment plans because we don’t trust doctors when it’s often related to lack of understanding of the treatment plan. So in working with minority groups to self advocate and gain knowledge that they need to have better outcomes will definitely help. This is just a small portion of the topics discussed. But we definitely have work to do. Again thanks for sharing
As a Latina I get it from both ends. I have experienced racism from one group and then I have experienced how minorities try to minimize my accomplishment as an NP by asking me to fetch them a gown or wash clothes sheets and blankets even after introducing myself as a Cardiac NP.
Thank you so much Liz for this video. I really appreciate this completely unbiased and open/honest commentary. If we don't talk about it and make changes we won't move forward
ACCOUNTABILITY is the first step!!! THANKS for recognizing that a CHANGE starts with U!!!✊🏾💯👩🏾⚕️
GREAT VIDEO LIZ!!! I LOVED IT AND THOUGHT IT WAS SUPER INFORMATIVE. WELL DONE! :)
Thank you so much for speaking on this! This is a huge problem not only as a black patient but as a black healthcare professional as well. The healthcare industry is extremely racist! Not everyone obviously but as a whole community, it is a very racist place.
Truthfully when I was in Nursing school this was skimmed over in the last semester during leadership and how to treat your fellow co-worker and if you have a higher position how to treat those of different race, but the racism towards African Americans was more addressed. I was the only African-American in the class and it got so quiet and most of the time my teacher stared at me like I'm the one who needed teaching about racism toward my own race. It was interesting how uncomfortable everyone got and I do think this needs to be addressed more in schools, then maybe everyone won't feel the need to tip toe and will stand up for their African American counterparts, but when it came to speaking on discrimination against women it was an uproar. So definitely uncomfortable for me to be a woman and African American that day
omg what a mess. I hope we can all get in just as much of an uproar about this in the coming years.
That’s not only how I felt it class but also frequently in the workplace. Very often, I dreaded the days I had to go to work knowing I would be the only black nurse on the floor. It was exhausting, and alot to deal with. Thanks Liz
Such an incredibly genuine, thoughtful, and well done video! Liz, you're an excellent representative of humanity, and our incredible nursing profession. It truly will take well meaning unmyelinated allies like yourself to have those difficult conversations with their other unmyelinated co-workers to address medical disparities in healthcare of all minorities seeking healthcare.
A personal story. My grandmother worked her entire life as an aide in whites' only hospital in the south. All of her 12 children were born at home with "midwives". She, nor any of my aunts or uncles had any formal healthcare, or stepped into a hospital or doctor's or dentist's office until they were well into their late 20's once they graduated college, and were professionally established. Most of my aunts and uncles were part of the great migration and left the south, at the urging of my grandparents, in order to survive the threats of Jim Crow and the KKK. My earliest memory is traveling with my dad down south, and being chased by clan members with hoods and shotguns. Any who, my grandmother always wanted one of her girls to become a RN. I had an aunt who died of breast cancer while she was in nursing school, and I was able to fore fill my grandma's wishes, which I didn't know she had until I was an RN for 6 years, graduating with a BSN at 40.
You should make another video on this topic after reading the book on medical racisms. There is so much information in the book that would shock all of us in healthcare, and needs to become widely known, and acknowledged. Information is empowering. Blessings to you and your family.
Great to know these services are available. Thank you, God bless you all .
Thank you for this Liz, while I knew about some of this, I also learned so much.
Something else I think worth mentioning, that could be of value is the role providers play as mentors to children and young adults, even unknowingly.
I live in a very rural part of California. A Black colleague and I discovered that we had the same healthcare provider, who is also Black. My colleague shared that this was the first time in her life that she had a healthcare provider who looked like her and this was incredibly valuable to her and her children. To be able to have someone considered an authority figure who looked like them.
I know white providers can't change the color of their skin, but in addition to education to understand and change racial disparities in healthcare, it would be awesome if they started by diversifying their staff, their reading materials in the waiting room, the posters on the wall.
Representation matters.
Thank you for this video! Sharing with my nursing cohort now.
How awesome are you! I had irregular periods and I was wondering about having babies. Girl, they gave me no information. None. Left in the dark! I have a beautiful baby girl now but it was a surprise because I thought I couldn't have kids.
Gabbie M I had the same experience and I grew up white and middle class! I cannot imagine being a woman (a challenge to receive adequate healthcare) plus being a person of color... I’m sorry the medical system failed you. Congrats on your babe however ❤️
Thank you so much for making this video! Just for taking the time to acknowledge and speak on this important topic.
I’ve been a CNA and actually just passed my nursing boards yesterday. Working in a nursing home, I’ve taken care of residents that were racist towards other CNAs/nurses. They were given a pass because they are old and set in their ways. I always found it appalling how residents refused to evolve and be a better person and accept those with black skin. In nursing school, my professors rarely talked about assessments and cultural preferences of non-white patients. In clinicals, my clinical instructor never assigned a student a black patient. One week when census was low, our clinical instructor actually put two nursing students with a white patient rather than assign a student a black patient. At the time, I didn’t think anything of it. I now realize how unacceptable the racial injustice present in the healthcare system. Thank you so much for using your platform and voice to shed light on such an important topic.
congrats on passing your boards!! But whoa. That is super sad. like. yikes. I'd probably email the program director if you can! People in leadership roles acting that way is causing a lot of harm
Nurse Liz I reported the clinical instructor for various other things, and she is no longer employed by the college. It’s sad that someone with such a small mind towards those with different color skin was given the opportunity to attempt to teach racism to potential nurses.
Abby Madden good for you for reporting them though!!
the reason i decided to even join nursing school was because of discrimination i received by so many nurses and doctor not listening to me and dis guarding how i deal with things. i even have my now amazing dr and nurse tell me they are aware how black patients are treated different and why they protest because of this . im currently on my journey to because a midwife nurse and my husband to become a NP hes European/ american and knows i deal with this and many African Americans or black people deal with . he hopes to be a nurse of change due to this. thank you for this video and all your nursing videos
I’m a med student in Dublin and at my school they place an emphasis on teaching us “cultural competency” alongside our medical training. I think that’s really important because it teaches us to be culturally sensitive and respectful towards everyone
that's awesome that they put such an emphasis on it!
Thank you for this insight. Though not black, I am a minority and have similar experiences. Bias training could be an important first step in changing this.
Would love to see a future episode on your experience with patients with chronic “invisible” conditions, either from the HCP or patient side. I know you’ve mentioned your family’s needs in the past as well as how broke the US healthcare system is. For me, these two aspects go hand in hand, and would love your advice on how to navigate the challenges.
Thanks for all your content. I subscribed last week, and I’m trying to watch all the videos as quickly as I can when I have a second even at 3:46 am EST ❤️
My husband and I have been TTC for almost 2 years. I have been to the same doctor 5 times, she still hasn't seen me, (never) and her nurses haven't done any physical exams. 5 times and I have been told to reduce my blood pressure to conceive. My blood pressure rises when I see doctors because I don't trust medical professionals. As far as they are concerned, I don't have ovaries or a V because no one has ever looked. I want to find a black doctor, but those seem even harder to find. I feel like my husband, and I will never have kids because we need the help of doctors, I feel so dehumanized when I leave each time, but we want a baby so bad I keep going back, hoping it will be different.
Thank you for posting this. I look forward to hearing more from you.
Oh my gosh I'm so sorry. I hope you are heard and helped soon. This breaks my heart.
Thank you for being transparent about African American issues in healthcare. Hopefully we all can do something to change the narrative. I am Haitian American and I have experienced racism as an RN and soon to be AGACNP.
Thanks for making this video. I think we like to ignore issues that are difficult and that make us uncomfortable. And I think that does a great disservice to patients. We have known about these issues in health care for a while, and nothing has been done. I hope this is the impetus for change. I'll be honest, I was in undergrad when I learned the difference between Hispanic & Latino. We all need to be open to learning new things and changing our behavior accordingly.
Thank you for taking a stance and educating!
Nurse Liz you are doing amazing work. I suggest for medical care workers to take a ethnic studies/ history class to have a foundation of understanding ❤.
My mom always experiences racism when she goes to the hospital alone because she doesn’t speak English very well. I’ve always had to advocate on her behalf because of how many people in health care don’t think everyone deserves equal treatment when they’re at the hospital. I’m praying that our world will become a more tolerant place and everyone gets a fair shot!
That’s me all the time with my parents but I try to educate people that health literacy and conversational English are two different things
This is a great video! Thanks for the awesome background and possible ways to adjust practice!
Thank you! I identify as black but very fair skinned. That is a great question due to growing up in that community I have all the same fears and resistance to health care. I had a baby recently and definitely was teated different and was terrified of dying due to it.
congratulations on your little one! I'm so sorry that was your experience though
Thank YOUnurse Liz and for explaining the disparities. I have experienced racism both as a patient and nurse at work. It breaks my heart when I realise my children are treated differently by a provider vs my friends children who happen to be Caucasian. I have learned to live a healthy lifestyle and avoid healthcare visits except the mandatory or emergency, like vaccinations. But I feel as a nurse I do have a responsibility to make a change so I'll use these experiences as learning and teaching moments.
Black people have undergone so much the last 400 or more years since the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade. What a strong people, what courage despite the terrible hardships.
Thank you for speaking on this topic. I don’t think some people realize that a lot of affluent black cities/towns, were burned down by racist mobs of people for no reason. We never got that back.
Wow thank you she cake threw with facts ❤️
Keep doing the great work. This is very important.
Always!
This video was encouraging and full of insight. Thank you, Liz. 💜👏👍
Nurse Liz, as many others have already said, THANK YOU for bringing this conversation to the forefront and addressing it head-on - I really appreciate you! I'm in an accelerated nursing program for my BSN right now, and I plan to pursue a DNP to be a women's health and family nurse practitioner. I am especially interested in providing culturally sensitive care to patients, especially Spanish-speakers. That ambition lies in the background that I am a person of mixed heritage (Mexican-Irish-American) who lives in a pretty rural state, where that is an under-represented population. Which brings me to my comment: thanks for thinking about creating a space on forms (or in conversation) to indicate racial/ethnic preference. I think an important consideration is to ask this of EVERY single patient, regardless of whether they look like a race other than White... That way there is no risk of assumption, but this also removes the feeling that as a person of color, they must always do the work of speaking out first. I personally always struggle to indicate the right bubble on forms - I don't consider myself to be "Race: White + Ethnicity: Hispanic", which is often the closest option available to me. Something else that occurred to me about that is, if you want to provide culturally-informed care, you may want to play around with how to present that to patients. Some people might feel that "treatment guided by ethnic background" (20:07) could be a negative thing, if they have previously been lumped together in a stereotype of race/ethnicity. I can't tell you how many groan-out-loud-bad readings on cultural sensitivity I've read throughout my program, which actually tried to provide "helpful stereotypes to understand about cultures you might encounter". I think the bottom line is what you've mentioned throughout your vlogs, as well as this one: provide individualized care, listen to your patients, and BELIEVE them! :)
This is a really good point, thank you for pointing it out! I think asking for everyone is a really good idea.
Thank you Liz for sharing your perspective. I appreciate it.
Hi Liz
Thank you for speaking up. I definitely believe that if you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem by default.
You did a great job approaching this so needed discussion and action.
Thank you for always being so supportive!
Thanks for discussing.. it happens a lot in nursing school too
Hi Liz! Im black and I noticed in the video when you briefly talked about asking people pronouns you said whats your preference. And in conversations I've had I have been told to just ask what someones pronouns are and not to say the word preference because how someone would like to be identified as is not a preference. thanks!!
Great thoughts.
Thank You Nurse Liz💕
excellent video and very wonderful to see a non black speak out about this matter. We all need to work together for a better healthcare experience for all including blacks
Nope, let you sellouts do it.
Thank you for teaching me more about this! Great video!
Thank you so much for taking the time to educate yourself and the world. I am a non-Black POC and learned so much from this video, and how I can be a better ally to the Black community.
My ancestors built this country. Two fought in the Revolutionary War for the independence of the US. To me, Barack Obama is an African American. His father is from Kenya, I am black. My father had a wound at the bottom of his foot smaller than a size of a quarter. The hospital called and asked permission to amputate his entire leg. I talked to the person asking why cut off his entire leg for a such a small wound. Of course I said no. I was shown how to take care of the wound and it had gotten much smaller. I had a miscarriage, dr stopped by my bed and said I should have a hysterectomy. I told him he needed to go back to Medical School. I told him my several options. My mom had an unnecessary surgery. There was nothing wrong with her. I had a Dr prescribe a hp medication. Problem I did not have HP. When I asked the Dr she said your blood pressure was normal. I thought you were taking medication for it. Thank goodness she left the practice. Do I trust the US medical establishment as a black woman?? Hell To The NO!!!!!!! Thank you for taking the time to make this video. It gets me so angry. New subscriber to your channel. When I was school a student said black people can go to Africa. I asked him where his family was from. He said all 4 of his grandparents were from Germany. I gave him my family history and then said who needs to go back to where? I really feel the term AA, Native American, Hispanic American justs let these people know the US is not our country. Though whose country is this?
Nurse Liz,
The term African American is a term used for people of African origins. It is not a racist term. Its just like saying Mexican American or Asian American. We are of American culture with certain ethnic origins. Anyone that does not understand that...it's more of an intellectual thing.
Hi. I think she meant preference, I am of African decent but I prefer the term Black. My parents are from 🇭🇳 Honduras and it’s what I was brought up with. It’s all a matter of preference. Fact is like she said we are all American.
There's a line of thought that suggests that the term "African American" doesn't acknowledge the diaspora and the variety of cultures and geographical places that people come from, and so "Black" is a more inclusive term. Either way, people have the right to choose the term that feels more appropriate for them.
iamyoonis Agreed. As a mental health provider I always ask. “How do you classify your race and or ethnicity?” Even if it appears obvious.
My mom is from Haiti. She doesn't identify as African American. She's Haitian. It's not racist to call black people African American, but it excludes the various people of the African diaspora in America.
Thank you for the input!
That's one of the reasons I chose to go into healthcare. I want to be a nurse who advocates for my people. Thank you for the video Nurse Liz!
Awesome! You are going to do great things!
Thankyou for raising this, you're spot on with all your points!!
Such an amazing video! Thank you so much ❤️
Love your content NP Liz! Thank you!
omg i came across your video, it is so much in Canada, i am a living example of this as a registered nurse the bullying and the career sabouTAGE
I'm so sorry you've experienced this!
Great video. Very interesting and much needed.
This topic is so important because at least addressing the disparities and trying to better will hopefully build trust. Many health disparities are present because of the distrust caused by systemic infrastructural racism. Racism is so inhuman even animals of different species show each other empathy (it’s been captured).
That's so sad. I hope we can do better going forward
Excellent. I see this a lot where I work
Ugh. I hate that :(
Thank you for this video Nurse Liz!
1:46 ! This! I appreciate it 🙏
I love your speech and honesty regarding this important topic even though I never worked in the field of healthcare.also, let me clear up something regarding our identity which I hear a lot of people used the term black, negro, African American that isn't a nationality or no way close to our true identity. Nationality was one of the fundamental rights under the universeal declaration of human rights that was violated during the time of slavery against my ancient forefathers .
I am a Canadian mom of a 19yo son. We're seeking asylum out of Canada due to EXTREME medical abuse since his birth. I'm suing several hospitals here.
I love you so much for doing this!! Thank you for taking time to educate yourself and then to educate others!! I live in a very “southern” city where white people seem to be ok with continuing to be uneducated as long as their problems are still in the spot light.... this is what we all need.
Loved Everything about this video Liz.
That’s from a proud African America Woman who has been following you. :). Thank you for being brave enough to utilize your platform to help educate and promote equality.
Thank you for this video. I would love to see you bring in a black perspective of a nurse to help make this conversation more nuanced!
That's a great idea!