Kechinyere C Iheduru-Anderson1. 1. Department of Rehabilitation and Medical Science, The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, USA. Electronic address: ihedu1k@cmich.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Black/African American nurses (BAANs) in the United States (US) experience barriers to career advancement. AIM: The specific aims of this study were to a) explore how the perception of racism or racial bias affects the motivation of Black/African American nurses (BAANs) in the United States (US) to seek and apply for nursing leadership and faculty positions, and b) to characterize the racism-related barriers that BAANs perceive that prevent them from moving forward with their careers in academia and nursing leadership. METHOD: As part of a qualitative focused ethnographic study, 30 nurses who self-identified as BAAN, had a bachelor's degree or higher, and had at least five years of nursing experience were interviewed. Qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. RESULT: Although five themes were identified, four were established in the literature, and one - Nursing Leadership Dynamics (NLD) - was novel. A complex network of NLDs that served to both prevent the success of BAANs as well as threaten their job security and health was identified. CONCLUSION: This study identified a multi-faceted, tightly-woven system of NLDs that serves to continually institutionalize and enforce a white/black hierarchy and white supremacy in nursing at all levels in the US, including education.
BACKGROUND: Black/African American nurses (BAANs) in the United States (US) experience barriers to career advancement. AIM: The specific aims of this study were to a) explore how the perception of racism or racial bias affects the motivation of Black/African American nurses (BAANs) in the United States (US) to seek and apply for nursing leadership and faculty positions, and b) to characterize the racism-related barriers that BAANs perceive that prevent them from moving forward with their careers in academia and nursing leadership. METHOD: As part of a qualitative focused ethnographic study, 30 nurses who self-identified as BAAN, had a bachelor's degree or higher, and had at least five years of nursing experience were interviewed. Qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. RESULT: Although five themes were identified, four were established in the literature, and one - Nursing Leadership Dynamics (NLD) - was novel. A complex network of NLDs that served to both prevent the success of BAANs as well as threaten their job security and health was identified. CONCLUSION: This study identified a multi-faceted, tightly-woven system of NLDs that serves to continually institutionalize and enforce a white/black hierarchy and white supremacy in nursing at all levels in the US, including education.