News from the National Black Nurses Foundation and the Southern Nevada Black Nurses Association

Nevada RNformation, May-Jul 2003

The Under Representation of African Americans and Other Racial and Ethnic Minorities' in the Nursing Workforce at this Time in Nursing's History Is Unacceptable!

The National Black Nurses Foundation, the recipient of a $340,000 award from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, held the second of the Gloria R. Smith Issues Forums February 7th-9th, 2003 at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, D.C. The purpose was to continue the dialogue and develop actions to inform policy-- makers and communities about the effects of the nursing shortage on African American communities. The theme for this forum was Minorities in the Pipeline.

The lack of African American and other racial and ethnic minority registered nurses in the 2.2 million registered nurses workforce is appalling noted the speakers and participants. It is time for organizations such as the National Black Nurses Association and other Ethnic Nurses Association to demand a more aggressive approach to increasing the number of minorities in the registered nurses workforce.

The keynote speaker for the Forum was Dorothy Powell, FAAN, Associate Dean, Howard University School of Nursing. Dr Powell's provocative keynote presentation raised many issues about how students are not encouraged to enter nursing and gave some strategies to attract students to nursing programs. The Forum heard from nursing and health services researcher, Linda Burnes Bolton, DrPH, RN, FAAN, Vice President for Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer Cedars Sinai Health Systems in Los Angeles, CA Ophelia Long, RN, BS, CEO of Options (a welfare to work program) in Oakland,CA, Nilda Peragallo, President of the National Coalition of Hispanic Nurses and Associate Professor at the University of Maryland, Janet Rami, Phd, RN, Dean of Southern University School of Nursing in Baton Rogue, LA, and C. Alicia Georges, EdD, RN, FAAN, Chairperson of the Department of Nursing at Lehman College, CUNY in Bronx, NY and President of the National Black Nurses Foundation.

The Forum was attended by nurse executives, hospital administrators, human services executives, nurse scientists, staff nurses from public health and acute care settings, nurse educators, nurse managers and student nurses, association presidents, policy makers, and elected officials.

Debra A. Toney, MS, RN of Las Vegas and a member of the Southern Nevada Black Nurses Association and the Nevada Nurses Association was a participate in this forum. "I am extremely honored to have been chosen to participate in the Gloria R. Smith Issues Forum. The nation is aware of the critical nursing shortage that is impacting all of our lives." Having the opportunity to discuss action plans regarding the nursing shortage with national policymakers was a rewarding experience," said Toney.

The participants reached consensus on a number of actions that must be taken to increase the number of minorities in the pipeline and enhance the upgrade and retention of those already in the workforce. These strategies and action plans will be circulated to national and state policy makers, and other nursing organizations. The focus of the next forum which will be held in New Orleans during the Annual Meeting of the National Black Nurses Association July 30th-August 3rd will address the question Where will the Black Nursing Leadership Come From? This project of the National Black Nurses Foundation is headed by C. Alicia Georges, EdD, RN, FAAN. Dr. Georges is president of the National Black Nurses Foundation and Chairperson of the Department of Nursing at Lehman College of the City University of New York.

You are invited to join the National Black Nurses Association for their 31st Annual Institute & Conference, July 30- August 3, 2003 in New Orleans, Louisiana at the New Orleans Marriott Hotel. For more information please visit NBNA's Web site at www.nbna.org.

Editor's note: For more information regarding activities of the Southern Nevada Black Nurses Association or to join please visit their Web site at www.snbna.ore or call (702) 615-3575.