Unfortunately, many nurses of color often encounter roadblocks to moving ahead in leadership. They may want to serve their community and better represent healthcare access from where they grew up. Still, obstacles such as racial bias, unfair hiring practices, and lack of adequate mentors can stand in their way, according to a 2023 study.
These challenges can be complex and discouraging, but there are resources and people to support you as you go through this career journey. Many minority nurse leaders can use these obstacles as motivation to pave their way in the nursing field and serve as mentors to younger nurses.
What are Some Examples of Systemic Obstacles?
Systemic obstacles are policies, procedures, or practices that discriminate and prevent individuals from fully participating in activities such as finding a job, getting health care, or gaining higher employment. These barriers can take any form, including a person’s racial or ethnic background.
Many nurses of color experience systemic barriers at work when seeking higher employment or leadership status. In a 2020 study, Black nurses working in healthcare expressed how they felt responsible for “paving the way” to career advancement and that they didn’t see anyone like them in leadership.
“Even after being in the field for almost 20 years, I still encounter racial bias and discrimination in the form of microaggressions to overt prejudices,” says Selena Gilles, DNP, associate dean and professor at the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. “Being one of the few people of color in a workplace can lead to tokenism or stereotyping, where nurses of color are expected to represent their entire racial or ethnic group, which can be burdensome and limiting.”
Although racial stereotypes can look more prominent, microaggressions can take on the form of insults, slights, and presumptions of BIPOC nurses’ abilities. These barriers may seem invisible to non-minority nurses. Still, they’re very much real and often felt by nurses of color mentally and even physically, which can also hinder their work performance and induce burnout.
Dr. Michael L. Jones, MBA/HCM, RN, associate dean for culture, engagement, and professional development at East Carolina University College of Nursing, has also experienced the pressure of microaggressions and systemic obstacles during his nursing journey.
“In many instances, I feel that I have to work twice as hard just to be recognized in some spaces within the nursing profession,” says Dr. Jones. “I think much of this is related to implicit biases, which I feel or even more presented because I am an African American male.”
Some BIPOC nurses also don’t have adequate access to higher education, advanced training, or leadership development opportunities, according to Gilles. This has been Dr. Jones’ experience coming from a poor school district in Mississippi and not having the resources to start his nursing degree.
“I failed my first semester in nursing school and struggled during the remainder of my time in my nursing program for my associate degree,” he says. “Preparation during my early years led to a great deal of struggle throughout my career, which is why I am so passionate about reaching back and pulling others along with me.”
How Can Nurses of Color Find the Support They Need?
Encountering these setbacks can feel heavy and disheartening for nurses of color who want to earn more and be respected in the field that they enjoy. Minority nurses are needed in today’s healthcare system. With more BIPOC nurses in the field, diverse nursing populations will feel understood and seen by nurses who understand their point of view.
These same nurses should also be able to advance in their field, where they can advocate for services and programs that will help underrepresented minority groups find the care that they deserve.
Here are some tips that can help BIPOC nurses grow in their careers.
Enlarge Your Network
Other strong, diverse nursing groups, like the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA), the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN), or DNPs of Color, can support minority nurses in climbing higher on the nursing ladder. Becoming a member of one of these groups can provide networking opportunities and career development skills.
“I often tell my mentors that it’s not always what you know, but who you know,” says Dr. Jones. “Many of my accomplishments have come about because of who I was connected with at that particular point in my career.”
Another way to take advantage of these large nursing organizations is to attend the workshops, conferences, and seminars they host. You can also find more events by joining your local student organization and finding more events there. Online forums and social media groups are also a great way to broaden your network.
Seek Mentorship and Nursing Leaders for Guidance
“Look for mentorship programs within your workplace or professional organizations that pair you with experienced leaders who can guide your career development,” says Gilles.
Gilles also advocates for sponsors in higher leadership positions who, unlike mentors, can vouch for your skills and help you reach more career opportunities.
Some healthcare institutions also have diversity and inclusion initiatives that provide mentorship and other resources to nursing students or nurses new to the field.
Establish Yourself as a Thought Leader
Nurses of color have a unique advantage over non-minority nurses. BIPOC nurses can share their experience growing in nursing while advocating for diversity within leadership.
Here are some ways minority nurses can position themselves as thought leaders:
- Develop a niche that you’re passionate about for opportunities in that space.
- Maintain a strong online presence on a social media platform (i.e. LinkedIn).
- Advocate for policies in your workplace that promote diversity and equity.
- Write for professional publications to get your name out there.
- Become involved in your local community as a public speaker.
These are only a couple of tips available. Talk to a mentor or another nursing professional for more strategies on nurse leadership.
Deciding to grow in your career can feel easy, but taking the first step to advance in your field can feel daunting. However, by taking deliberate steps and seeking support, you can navigate these challenges and become the nursing leader you’ve always envisioned for a more inclusive, equitable healthcare system.
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