Racism is a substantial problem within nursing, with more than half of nurses reporting they have personally experienced a racist act in the workplace, according to a survey released Jan. 25 by the National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing.
The survey examined responses from 5,623 nurses and was administered Oct. 7-31, 2021.
Five survey findings:
1. Sixty-three percent of survey respondents said they have personally experienced an act of racism, with the transgressors being a peer (66 percent), patient (63 percent), or manager or supervisor (60 percent).
2. Fifty-six percent of survey respondents said racism in the workplace has negatively affected their professional well-being.
3. Fifty-seven percent of nurses surveyed said they have challenged racism in the workplace, but 64 percent said their efforts did not result in change.
4. Seventy-five percent of survey respondents said they have witnessed racism in the workplace.
5. Many surveyed nurses of color reported personally experiencing racism in the workplace:
- Black nurses – 92 percent
- Asian nurses – 73 percent
- Hispanic nurses – 69 percent
To learn more about the survey, click here.