Focus on diversity: Seeing nursing from a different perspective
By Lolita Roland, RN

Lolita Roland RN, a committee member of the MNA Diversity Committee interviewed a nurse colleague to explore the obstacles this staff nurse has encountered as a minority nurse. Justina Omerhi, RN was kind enough to grant the interview which details her experiences. The MNA Diversity Committee is pleased to present this, the first in a three-part series of articles to discuss the different perspectives of our nursing community. The series will explore the three focus areas of the Diversity Committee initiatives: race/ethnicity, sexual orientation and physical disabilities.

This interview was conducted on Sept. 7.

Q: Justina, where are you from and how long have you been in the United States?

A: I am from the southern part of Nigeria, South Delta and I have been in the United States for 10 years.
 

Q: How long have you been a registered nurse and what can you tell me about the process of getting licensed in this country?

A: I have been a registered nurse since 1981 and received my education and nursing license in Nigeria. In order to practice in the United States I had to go before the CGFNS (Certificate for Graduate Foreign Nurses) which is a screening body to see if one has a good command of the English language and has completed the proper modules or educational requirements for a general nursing curriculum. All of my courses in Nigeria, however, were taught in the English language. A foreign nurse must be a practicing RN in her own country in order to even be considered. Also the nurse has to take a written exam in English and in nursing. After that, the nurse has to apply to the Board of Registration in Nursing in order to take the boards. When one applies one can practice as a graduate nurse.
 

Q: What kind of assumptions have patients made about you as a nurse who was born in Africa?

A: One patient said to me, “You don’t belong here.” I replied, “What do you mean by that? I take good care of you, I passed my boards and if you have any problem with me, you need to talk to the proper authorities.” Another nurse who happened to be white talked to the patient about her behavior and the patient apologized. Another patient said to me,”You go back to your country. My people fought the war here.” My reply to her was, “My brothers fought the war here too.” There have been instances where a white patient did not want me as an African nurse or any black nurse for that matter to take care of him or her. 
 

Q: What kind of assumptions have co-workers and other hospital personnel made about you as a nurse who was born in Africa?

A:  Even though I’m certified in med-surg and I am a midwife in my country, I always have to prove that I am just as knowledgeable as my white counterpart. When I was in orientation on a job, I would make the same mistake as another new orientee who happened to be white, but I was made to do extra days of orientation and she was not. Another time, I was taking care of a patient who became extremely ill on my shift. The doctor was notified, and even though he was aware that I was taking care of the patient, he addressed the white nurse with all of the new orders, ignoring me. An emergency may arise on the unit and the doctor or other hospital personnel involved may ask for the white nurse who is not the nurse taking care of the patient. Why don’t they ask for the nurse taking care of the patient? Many people assume that the black nurse is making mistakes. One time a Jewish nurse and a Chinese nurse stood up for me and said, “She knows what she is doing.” Hospital personnel, as well as some patients will automatically assume that I am an aide. If I tell them I am not the aide, they will assume I am an LPN. Why do they have to assume that I am at the bottom? The assumption is that the black person is not as bright and so must be at the bottom. These are the kind of issues that are driving minorities out of the profession.
 

Q: Is there anything that you feel the Diversity Committee of the MNA can do to help foreign nurses who work in this country?

A:  Education is the key. Educate the management about peer support which is very important if this problem is to be overcome. Educate those in schools of nursing.

The Diversity Committee would like to thank Justina Omerhi for sharing her experience with the MNA Members. Please look for future articles from the Diversity Committee in this three part series.