Meet James.
James is an RN who teaches both classroom and clinical courses in an associate degree nursing program. James is white and the program is offered in a primarily white community. There are 24 students in his Introduction to Nursing class. James’s class is made up of five African American students, two are male and three are female. There are two Asian women in the class and one Hispanic female. The rest of the course is Caucasian, all female except one male.
James, a male RN, wearing a surgical mask
James shares a personal story about how an older female patient once refused his assistance in today’s class because of his gender. This sparks an increasingly animated conversation. Some of the men and non-Caucasian women in the class describe different instances in their nursing experience thus far when they felt they were the victim of someone’s prejudices. Out of the corner of his eye, James notices a young, white female student in the back corner roll her eyes and mutter something to herself. He decides not to make an issue of it in class but later wonders if he missed an important teaching opportunity.
What known dominant and minority cultures exist in this classroom? What are some ways that members of the dominant cultures might exhibit cultural imposition during class? What opportunities exist for members of the dominant cultures to demonstrate cultural sensitivity? What other cultures might exist that are not obvious in the description?
Concerning the material in this chapter, what concerns do you think James might have about the student who rolled her eyes? About the students who shared their experiences with prejudice?
How could James have responded to the situation in a way that would have encouraged inclusion and helped the students develop cultural competence?
In what ways are you like James? How are you different?
