Equal Opportunity Nursing – Addressing Discrimination in the Workplace

A nurse manager wears many hats but it can be a gratifying job. Just as in any other profession nursing can have it’s challenges, and without addressing it as a nurse manager, it can quickly spiral out of control. As a leader, addressing discrimination in nursing is vital to the facility. There are multiple situations that can arise and here’s how you can address them to demonstrate equal opportunity nursing.

Favoritism in Nursing

While favoritism may not be intentional in hospitals, clinics, and offices, certain behavior towards people in the workplace can still be an issue. Frequently, this behavior is observed by coworkers and even patients. When an employee is simply trying to do their job, this experience can be confusing and frustrating. Nurse managers must be aware of the signs as well as more overt acts. These include microaggressions from management as well as patients.

Male Nurses Facing Discrimination

There are very few professions that are seen as purely female. While we all know that this a simply untrue categorization, male nurses still experience discrimination in the workplace.  Managers need to make sure their department is welcoming to everyone regardless of gender. The men who have entered nursing have infinite skills and compassion as well.

Disabilities Caused at Work

While people with disabilities struggle for recognition and accommodations in almost any workplace, the nursing field has seen an added layer. If a nurse develops a disability on the job, managers and patients alike often see them as unable to provide proper care. This is simply untrue. Many facilities are equipped to provide employees with the proper tools to assist disabled employees with their job or are even able to accommodate them in another area.

How to Fight Against Discrimination

It’s good to know what kinds of discrimination happen most often in the workplace, but how do you stop it? Encourage your team to take action immediately by alerting management to the situation. Nurses also need to let the person discriminating know that the behavior is unacceptable and offensive. As a manager, you can create a mentor-ship program to help individuals find common ground with other nurses on staff.

Can diverse hiring initiatives help your department?

Contact CornerStone Medical Staffing to request an employee today.

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