Reply To: Racism in Nursing Education and Practice

[Mirna]

It is shocking to say that with so many advances, the one thing that we have yet to overcome is racism. Coming from an immigrant family, I grew up with this preconception that my parents told me that we are looked at differently than others. One of the reasons I chose healthcare is because of the lack of Latino-Spanish-speaking providers. I grew up seeing my mother struggle to find a provider she could speak with and would understand her frustration without the need for a third person to translate. Although translators help bridge this communication gap, they do not bridge all the gaps, including comfort and reliability. At times, this deterred my mother from going to seek medical attention and getting by with home remedies until she could not. Racism is still a factor; however, as a current nurse, I see more and more diversity at least in the area I practice in. I know there is still a long way to go, but we have also made huge strides as a society. Thank you for sharing your article and touching on this sensitive topic.