More than 2 years after the George Floyd murder, we talked about racism in this column as "the other public health crisis." The callout quote was that every step forward, no matter how big or small, contributes to changing the culture of racism. In the wake of the American Nurses Association (ANA) Racial Reckoning Statement, we provide an end-of-year reflection: Have you stepped forward and had your own personal reckoning yet?
I found the Racial Reckoning Statement so powerful it took me several months to gather my thoughts. The ANA apologized to all nurses of color for its history of racism and for "named and unaccounted-for harms," and sought forgiveness. The ANA also acknowledged that issues continue to this day, and if we search our hearts and minds and talk to any nurse of color, we have to recognize this truth. I've seen full-blown racism over and over in the workplace and in my personal life, and it sickens me. We all need to reckon.
How? Some principles include acknowledging; listening; being curious, not diminishing; calling out racism when you see it, especially in your own thoughts and actions; and nurturing antiracism.1 Create opportunities to talk about racism, maybe with a trained facilitator. Listen more. Reflect. Reflect more.
Nurses of color experience disadvantage, harm, and yes, racism, in many ways. What does it feel like to be a nurse of color and walk into a room of all White colleagues, even without any hint of unwelcome? That isn't as easy as you may think, as we all look for, and need, identity connections and a feeling of fit with others. What about experiencing overtly racist comments or actions? Don't fool yourself, these are still happening every day, even at the bedside. The American Journal of Nursing published a special feature earlier this year on an initiative to confront racism, which included the principles of reckoning listed above.1 They seem to be relatively obvious action steps. So why is it taking so long?
We're ending our third pandemic year. None of us will ever be the same. When it comes to racial reckoning, we don't want to be the same. We want, or should want, to learn and grow and be allies. But has anything changed in these years since the "enlightenment" in the summer of 2020? I'm not sure. We all have organizational policies on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Are they just words?
Maybe if it isn't affecting you directly, you haven't started the journey. Or maybe it seems too hard, or you're not open to it. Some of it is unrecognized unconscious bias. Whatever the reason, we've come too far for this to be all talk and no action. Diversity and diversity statistics are only part of the answer. Inclusion and belonging take it to another level, and numbers alone are absolutely not inclusion. Programmatic changes and educational and mentoring strategies help. So does psychological safety. Reducing healthcare disparities, as required by The Joint Commission 2023 standards, is another, different part of this journey.
Those are system efforts, and they need leadership to happen. You can be that leader, as can each and every one of us. First, we need to have our own personal reckoning. Rhonda Foster, who's on Nursing Management's editorial board, wrote a companion editorial with me 2 years ago on her experience as a Black woman and nurse. We're doing that again this month, as colleagues on this journey. Follow the lead of the ANA and our other professional organizations. It's messy and uncomfortable. And necessary.
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