A Nurse’s Harrowing Experience of Racism in the Healthcare Industry
A nurse has shared a distressing account of racial discrimination she faced during her work experience in a Queensland hospital. Sentia Igiraneza, 22, was completing her Bachelor of Nursing degree when she claims a nurse made a racist comment about her being black. The incident occurred in December 2023, and it left a lasting impact on her.
‘I was told I would never become a nurse or make it anywhere because I was black,’ she said, recounting the moment. ‘I wish someone had told me that being a black woman pursuing a career in healthcare in Australia was like a death sentence.’
Ms. Igiraneza had always anticipated facing racism from patients, but she never expected it from a fellow nurse. Her experience quickly changed as she noticed a shift in how she was treated.
‘I would come into shifts and greet everyone,’ she explained. ‘But they would often look up and down at me and ignore me.’ However, the nurses’ behavior seemed to change dramatically when someone of a different race entered the room.
‘Someone else, a white girl, would come in and get a warm welcome,’ Ms. Igiraneza said. ‘I would stand there thinking maybe there was something wrong with the placement documentation that said black people weren’t allowed to speak.’
She realized there was a clear racist culture in place, but instead of questioning the nurses, she gave them the benefit of the doubt. The conversations in the nursing station were often about her physical features, such as her hair, lips, and skin color. She chose to ignore these remarks, thinking they were just ‘banter.’
In her final week of placement, a worker hinted that she wasn’t good enough. ‘They said it was because many staff found me intimidating and unfriendly,’ she said. ‘Apparently, I didn’t greet anyone when I came in, was always rolling my eyes, and was very aggressive.’
Ms. Igiraneza only spoke out about her experience publicly now because she believed the racism was due to her own actions. ‘Racism is a powerful destroyer because it breaks apart your self-esteem,’ she said. ‘It’s not something I wish for the upcoming generation of black people who want to be doctors, lawyers, or other big things. That’s disgusting.’
Looking back, she feels she should have been more reserved around the staff. ‘If I knew I was going to be under a microscope, I would have not allowed myself to trust and become comfortable with the staff,’ she said. ‘I engaged in conversations, showed I didn’t know things, was happy to learn, and shared personal things about my life just like the other students.’
She also wishes she had sought professional help and assistance during this time. Ms. Igiraneza completed her degree in early March and has been applying for graduate programs.
Many Australians were shocked by her story and expressed sympathy. One person said, ‘I’m absolutely furious and it saddens me that you feel as though you have to outperform because of the colour of your skin.’ Another added, ‘I sincerely hope that despite other people’s impression of you, you still pursued a career in nursing.’
Some also shared their similar experiences. One person said, ‘I work in aged care in Queensland and honestly feel like I’m treated differently because I’m not Australian, so I can’t imagine what you experience.’ Another said, ‘I experienced racism as a nurse starting from uni until I worked, so I can totally relate to you.’
