I have recently begun to appreciate myself and acknowledge my accomplishments as an immigrant here in the United States. In my nursing career, there have been numerous heartwarming moments that reaffirmed my decision to become a nurse and serve in this country. I have been fortunate to work alongside excellent colleagues and leaders, with my first nurse manager at Mercy Hospital in Ardmore, Oklahoma, being a particularly inspiring mentor. While I wish all my managers were like her, I understand that real life is a mix of positivity and negativity.
Throughout my nursing journey, I've encountered both supportive colleagues who saw me for my skills and character rather than my color or accent, and challenging moments that made me resilient and strengthened my perspectives.
Reflecting on my time in nursing school, I attended one of the finest institutions but wished for more cultural diversity in my class. As one of the few international students, I often felt isolated, not only due to my skin color but also factors like socio-economic status, culture, religion, language, and nationality. The disparity in experiences, such as missing holidays from my own culture while classmates celebrated Christmas, contributed to my feelings of being an outsider.
Despite limited positive experiences during my college years, finding solace in a few friendships, participating in Nepali-speaking student gatherings, and taking on roles like being a mentor and president of the Nepalese Student Organization, I couldn't shake the feeling of being left out from the broader student community. Graduating and getting married brought a sense of completeness, but the reality of being a minority became more apparent when I entered the workforce as a nurse.
In my nursing career, instances of targeted racism, both from patients and colleagues, have been disheartening. Patient comments questioning my nationality based on my appearance or insensitive remarks about my language proficiency have been hurtful. Colleagues making racially insensitive jokes in the workplace added to the challenges. I faced comments implying I could be deported and endured a lack of support from fellow nurses.
These examples highlight the need for change in addressing healthcare provider abuse and racism towards colored nurses. Our ideas are sometimes overlooked, and we constantly find ourselves proving our worth to patients and leaders. The struggle persists, and I hope future generations won't have to endure the same challenges and prejudices. Is it too much to ask for a society where acceptance is not contingent on the color of our skin?
