The Lived Experiences of Racial and Ethnic Minority Nurses Exposed to Racial Microaggressions in the Hospital...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare professional safety
• Nursing
• Workplace violence research

Background:

• Type II workplace violence (WPV) between patients and nurses is a persistent challenge in healthcare settings.
• Limited understanding exists regarding the specific experiences of racial and ethnic minority nurses with WPV.
• Increased WPV against minority groups during the COVID-19 pandemic suggests unique challenges for underrepresented nurses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the lived experiences of racial and ethnic minority nurses facing Type II WPV from patients.
• To assess the emotional and physical effects of Type II WPV on these nurses.

Main Methods:

• Conducted semistructured individual interviews with 10 racial and ethnic minority nurses.
• Utilized snowball sampling for participant recruitment.
• Employed a qualitative descriptive approach for data analysis.

Main Results:

• All interviewed nurses experienced racial microaggressions, perceiving them as harmful.
• Microaggressions negatively impacted self-esteem, nurse-patient relationships, and job performance.
• 90% of participants felt unsupported in their hospital roles as minority nurses.

Conclusions:

• Racial microaggressions constitute a form of WPV with significant negative consequences for nurses.
• These incidents detrimentally affect nurses' well-being, job performance, and patient care.
• There is a critical need for enhanced policies, procedures, and resources to support minority nurses against WPV.