RCN & ANA: A Contrast in Commitment

by Kaz Weida and Gerard Soucy, RN CHPN

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the largest nursing union and professional body in the world, with a visible role in addressing racism in nursing. The RCN has taken tangible action to combat racism beyond simply issuing statements and joining a commission. 

“The National Health Service (NHS) too often fails its minority ethnic staff,” says Sheilabye Sobrany, RCN President. “These colleagues are substantially less likely to be shortlisted for jobs, less likely to reach the top table, more likely to face disciplinary action, and more likely to report harassment, bullying, and abuse from patients, than their white counterparts.”

The RCN’s advocacy enabled Michelle Cox to prevail in her employment tribunal last year that highlighted the failure of the NHS to adequately address racial discrimination. 

Sobrany notes that despite some progress on addressing racial discrimination within the profession, a recent report, “Too Hot to Handle?” Why Concerns About RacismAre Not Heard… Or Acted On (pdf) makes clear much work remains.

The American Nursing Association (ANA) issued its own acknowledgment of its racism and announced a “journey of racial reckoning,” partially in response to the Black Lives Matter movement and the murder of George Floyd. 

The ANA emphasized, “... it is forgiveness that we seek - forgiveness from nurses of color, the nursing profession and the communities that have been harmed by our actions.”

The organization also promised to "build a more equitable future."

In contrast to the RCN’s visible support for Ms Cox, the ANA has remained silent regarding DonQuenick’s case, despite recent assertions by its Chief Nursing Officer that, “... when issues like this come to our attention, we often have outreach with the individual or their representative or their attorney - and we let them tell us when what would be most helpful, particularly when it's a legal issue.”

The ANA responded privately to requests for support for DonQuenick by suggesting an ANA employee as paid expert witness for her civil action, along with a copy of its report on racism in nursing and the following email:

From: Cheryl Peterson
To: DonQuenick
Subject: RE: Donquenick
Date: Thursday, August 10, 2023 1:01:12 PM

Dear Ms. Joppy:

Thank you for your email. ANA vehemently and publicly condemns discrimination, racism, injustices, and inequities in health care, nursing, and our society. Behaviors and actions rooted in racism and demonstrated by any nurse against another colleague are unethical, unprofessional, and unacceptable. These types of behaviors fail to adhere to the basic nursing tenets to respect the dignity of every person, and to do otherwise is dehumanizing. At its foundation, nurses must treat patients and colleagues with respect regardless of someone’s personal characteristics, values, or beliefs. This is an ethical obligation for all nurses. ANA will always support nurses’ right and duty to speak out and act through the appropriate channels when they experience any form of discrimination, racism, injustice, or inequity in the workplace. We understand the enduring adverse impact on nurses who experience workplace discrimination and regret that any nurse would have to suffer those effects.

Sincerely,
Cheryl A. Peterson, MSN,RN
Vice President, Nursing Programs
American Nurses Association

See Cheryl Peterson’s 2022 interview with Rev Al Sharpton on MSNBC.

The only open acknowledgement by any entity associated with ANA was a poorly-researched article in the Online Journal of Issues in Nursing (OJIN) that attempted to conflate DonQuenick’s case with that of the former nurse found guilty of criminal negligence and abuse of an impaired adult in the horrific death of Mrs. Charlene Murphey in 2017.

“The details of the Vaught case and subsequent probation have been discussed extensively,” wrote the authors. “Joppy’s recent similar experiences (sic) of employment termination, loss of RN license, charges of manslaughter and negligent death of an at-risk person, while dismissed, have received far less attention and support.”

Writing in response, Amanda Golino noted several important distinctions that the authors ignored, not the least of which is that DonQuenick “…was systematically targeted by white nurses in the intensive care unit where she worked and subjected to repeated attacks on her character intended to diminish her professionally,” and that these nurses weaponized an elderly man’s expected death from an unsurvivable event in a malicious attempt to end DonQuenick’s nursing career.

The RCN’s support for racial justice as evidenced by its actions in the Cox tribunal stand in stark contrast with the ANA’s apparent disinterest and reluctance regarding DonQuenick.

Kaz Weida is an editor and journalist covering topics in health, education, science, technology, social issues and advocacy.

Gerard Soucy, RN CHPN is a nurse and blogger practicing in serious illness, end of life, death care, final disposition, bereavement and legacy.