Understanding the invisibility of black nurse leaders using a black feminist poststructuralist framework

Abstract

This paper is designed to generate discussion related to the invisibility of Black nurse leaders by providing an understanding of the historical experiences of Black people, their entry into the nursing profession and the present day challenges they face. This discussion will inform health care practice, policy, and structuring by identifying the barriers to leadership for Black nurses.

The impact of intersectionality on nursing leadership, empowerment and culture: A case study exploring nurses and managers’ perceptions in an acute care hospital in Aotearoa, New Zealand

“…Health organisations are historically hierarchical and remain so, as they are firmly linked to a dominant patriarchal discourse (Jefferies et al, 2018). Male nurses who have the same skill and experience level as females are promoted and paid more than women.…”

“…For example, black and minority ethnic (BAME) groups in Britain and Canada, where nursing is a white female-dominated workforce and the underrepresentation of Māori (New Zealand's Indigenous people) (Brathwaite, 2018;Jefferies et al, 2018;Kidd et al, 2020).…”

Black women in nursing history: the cultural competence in Maria Barbosa Fernandes´ trajectory

“…Experiences of discrimination and depreciation were common throughout the education and practice of black nurses, resulting in feelings of marginalization and isolation (4) . Thus, it is possible to infer that there is a discursive interdiction by Maria Barbosa about power relations and experiences of racism, triggered by the fact that she is a black woman, with a profile that is not standard for the time in professional nursing in Minas Gerais.…”

“…Thus, when we take into account that the performance of nursing is marked by several inequalities that permeate the social reality of the assisted patients, the theoretical framework of Cultural Competence stands out. Furthermore, it is considered that diversity among the leaders of nursing is essential to develop inclusive practices and provide culturally sensitive care (4) .…”

Promoting Visible Minority Diversity in Canadian Nursing

“…Several barriers perpetuate the underrepresentation of VMs in nursing including invisibility, which refers to the lack of recognition of their contributions, existence, and agency (Jefferies, Goldberg, Aston, & Murphy, 2018); underrepresentation in nursing education, which is attributed to high attrition and insufficient recruitment and retention (Vukic, Steenbeek, & Muxlow, 2016) and racism, manifested through tokenism and othering (Etowa, Sethi, & Thompson-Isherwood, 2009; Vukic, Jesty, Matthews, & Etowa, 2012).…”