Anti-Black racism 'deeply entrenched' in nursing, says new report calling for immediate action

Racism on the job, fear of backlash for speaking out, being passed over for opportunities and feelings of depression — those are just some of the experiences of Black nurses in Ontario, according to a new report released Tuesday.

The study, prepared by the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario's Black Nurses Task Force, surveyed 205 Black nurses and nursing students across the province, and found the overwhelming majority of participants — 88 per cent — reported experiencing racism and discrimination in at work.

Not only that, 63 per cent reported racism had taken a toll on their mental health, creating increased stress, depression and anxiety.

"Being subjected to racial taunts, referred to as a Black nurse — not by my name, teases about my hair, having my grades reduced from an A to a B by a racist professor when I was undergraduate school, not having the opportunity to be taught by black professors," registered nurse and task force co-chair Dr. Angela Cooper Brathwaite recalled of her own experience at a news conference Tuesday.

"I have attended three Canadian universities in three different provinces and I've never had one Black professor."

Made up of 17 Black nurses and nursing students, the task force was struck in June 2020 after the murder of George Floyd by a white Minneapolis police officer with a mandate to eliminate anti-Black racism and discrimination in nursing.

All too often, the report found, Black nurses find themselves working in entry-level positions or non-specialized roles and international nurses coming in Ontario commonly end up working as unregulated personal support workers.

"As nurses, we know that racism is recognized as an important determinant of health, contributing to health and social inequities. Racism continues to be deeply embedded in the health system and structures within Canada," Cooper Brathwaite said in a news release.

As part of its report, the group came up with 19 recommendations, including: a "zero-tolerance" policy against racism for staff, leaders, patients and families; collecting and disseminating race-based data; increased access to mental health supports in the workplace; adding racism in nursing curriculum; diversity in leadership and holding staff at all levels accountable for fighting racism.

While the group doesn't identify any specific government or industry bodies to implement those recommendations, the task force says it will begin formal conversations with leading hospital and nursing organizations, long-term care associations and educational bodies about the way forward.

"All health-care and academic organizations must immediately take action and acknowledge that anti-Black racism is deeply entrenched in the history of nursing in Ontario and Canada," task force co-chair and nurse practitioner Corsita Garraway said in the release.

The RNAO, which represents registered nurses, nurse practitioners and nursing students in Ontario says it plans to call for "decisive action from national and provincial nursing organizations and institutions" to overcome systemic racism in the field.

"Racism is a public health crisis that cannot be ignored," said RNAO President Morgan Hoffarth in the release.

"It threatens the health and well-being of racialized nurses, it limits their contributions to the health system and it interferes with their ability to provide safe, compassionate and ethical care to Ontarians."