Immigrant nurses' experience of racism

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Sociology
• Public Health

Background:

• Immigrant nurses of colour often face unique challenges in healthcare settings.
• Discriminatory practices can significantly impact the professional lives and well-being of these nurses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document the experiences of immigrant nurses of colour who reported workplace discrimination.
• To gather their perspectives on existing policies and propose recommendations for professional equity.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, exploratory study involving nine immigrant nurses of colour in Ontario, Canada.
• Data collection through face-to-face interviews and focus groups between 1997 and 1998.
• Qualitative data analysis using discourse theory and methods from van Dijk and Essed.

Main Results:

• Nurses reported experiences of marginalization and acknowledged racist incidents.
• They described significant physical stress and emotional pain due to these experiences.
• Coping strategies and recommendations for policy changes emerged as key themes.

Conclusions:

• All interviewed nurses faced reprisals after lodging grievances or complaints.
• The grievance redress process itself was perceived as unfair.
• Participants advocated for policy initiatives to promote equity and fair practices within the nursing profession.