Applying PHL Analysis to Discussion of Black Nurses
Public Health Liberation believes that social discourse is a viable and essential source of information for health equity discourse and research. Webinar conversations are an underutilized data source to gain insight and to affect the Public Health Economy. This article will focus on the recent discussion from Get Wealthy! with host Deborah Owens, where she invites Meedie Clark Bardonille, Chair DC Board of Nursing/ Founder & President of Black Nurse Collaborative Inc. They discuss Black nurses’ health and wealth-building. We categorized their major discussion topics under the five key concepts of Public Health Liberation - value/philosophy/worldview, theory, practice, research, and training. Their discussion illustrates several key components of Public Health Liberation - liberation philosophy and praxis, vertical integration, and a clear articulation of aligning the five key areas.
Values/Philosophy
Career growth is a contact sport
Concept of “caring beyond the beside”
Need to create spaces for Black nurses to develop and grow in all aspects of career, family, and self-care
Nursing is a selfless career - exposing one’s health pre- and post-Covid
Nursing is a “calling”
Your “network” is your greatest net worth
Your health is the greatest health asset
The “messenger is more important than the message sometimes”
The discussion is by and for Black nurses and Black women - This illustrates PHL’s emphasis on liberation and self-uplift.
On a personal level, value your health
Communities can take charge of their own outcomes
Helping upward mobility of Black nurses is a major gap
Using collective power for collective upward mobility
“Sometimes, you have to pause and take care of you”
Employees are the greatest asset within organizations, so it is important for employers to devote staff and resources to employee wellness and health
Nurses have to take care of each other and that health care and other industries value nurses
“Nursing is nothing but the business of caring”
A strong sense of agency and ownership is key for growth and fulfillment - “My faith has sustained me,” “If you fall, fall forward,” and “Run your own race”
Have passion, integrity, a strong work ethic, be a good communicator, and be a good team player
Theory
Joining a professional organization can benefit upward mobility and professional development as barriers
Groups like the Black Nurses Collaborative is essential to address the multitude of professional and personal obstacles - sharing resources and promotion opportunities, helping communities, nurturing new nurses
Black nurses can inculcate trust to encourage health beliefs and behaviors like vaccination, check-ups, and exams where they are from or share affiliation with the community
Need for preventative self-care
Stress is a social determinant of health
Public health and health care are doing a poor job of sharing health resources and information for preventative care
Preventative care and health literacy are that more important due to the high cost of care in the US, income inequality, and income-based stress
Nurses could be more ahead financially if they could access to financial literacy and advice
Pay and career advancement may improve due to Covid and nursing shortages
Many are not taking advantage of free resources on financial literacy - reducing wealth-building
Undereducation of the “business of health care” and business development for nurses to create wealth-building and career growth
Nurses are more valued after the pandemic - in part due to the mass shortages
Nurses are highly valued by the public but are underpaid and overworked - like teachers
It’s not the money, but the mission
The individual’s ability to network, seek opportunities and training, and join professional organizations is key to personal and professional growth and can help to address challenges with being a nurse - underpaid, overworked, stress and challenging work environments, financial health
Practice
Black women hit a career ceiling due to lack of diversity in the nursing field, lack of access and closed social networks
Nursing drives healthcare in the US
Need for community-based health initiatives in response to US sick care model
Health literacy should start at a young age
There are a lot of free resources available to communities that people are not aware of; lack of uniform community channels
Nurses provide value within and outside of clinical settings - community health leadership, real estate consultation, entrepreneurial opportunities, teaching, paid positions on Boards, establishment of schools, products/services, helping to make curriculum
Advocate for employer-based retirement planning administrator to provide financial literacy and planning
Monetize experience and skills
The stress of patient care, understaffing, and long hours during Covid pandemic caused many nurses to reassess their hospital-based careers
Nursing is humanistic, involves multi-tasking (as in roles as social workers, pharmacists, therapists), and is challenging
Research
Black nurses make up about 7% of the nursing population
The number of Black women in nursing leadership positions is even smaller
Nursing is leaving the profession in droves
People are using urgent and emergency care as their primary care instead of preventative medicine
Nurses are leaving for other pursuits
Training
Organizations like the Black Nurses Collaborative can provide training and development opportunities that may not be otherwise available for health, wealth-building, and career advancement
Helping new nurses with externships and career opportunities
Providing financial advice to young nurses with help of outside consultants
Encouraging nurses to pursue consulting
Help nurses to “find their tribe” for mentorship and career development
