“We’re trying to educate our counterparts. It’s very important people learn what we go through,” Vanessa Loyd, Ph.D., RN, said of the third African American Nursing History Conference held February 19 at the Sheraton Hotel Westport Lakeside Chalet.
Loyd advises the Black Student Nurses Association at the University of Missouri–St. Louis and chaired the conference, which drew more than 400 people this year.
The large, diverse, majority-black audience was mostly comprised of nurses and student nurses, who were addressed directly by keynote speaker Sandra Millon-Underwood, Ph.D., RN.
“Nursing is hard work, but nursing is good work,” Underwood said.
Underwood serves as the American Cancer Society Harley Davidson Oncology Nursing Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Nursing. While she spoke of her specialty, cancer care, she also provided more general reflections on how to remain healthy and live longer.
She talked about worsening obesity issues within African-American youth. Underwood discussed how some African Americans say they have bigger bones then others. “Our bones are no bigger than anybody else’s,” Underwood said.
Underwood also talked about sex awareness and how youth and young adults need to be better educated.
“If you have sex, don’t get surprised if you get pregnant,” Underwood said.
She also pointed out the importance of preventive medicine and getting regular screenings.
“If you can convince your doctor that you don’t need certain screenings, then you need a different doctor,” Underwood said.
On the subject of her specialty, Underwood said the community isn’t knowledgeable on cancer. “We have a long way to go,” Underwood said.
Underwood explained how the African-American community has disproportionately high incidence of prostate cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer. Even though some cancers can’t be prevented, lung cancer can. Underwood wants everyone to put a human face on health disparities.
“We need to get real if we really want to affect a change in our community,” Underwood said. “We are losing on the world of cancer because we aren’t willing to fight.”
Underwood gave an example of a cancer patient, Cassandra Middleton, who was treated poorly due to her economic status. Middleton felt as if the system failed her.
“The question to ask is: Could that have been me?” Underwood said. “As a nurse, you have to always give your best.”
Underwood said more African Americans with higher education are needed in the nursing field. She said UMSL’s Black Student Nurses Association, which co-sponsored the event, is helping remedy the problem.
Students from the association who attended the event agreed. They said the Black Student Nurses Association was helpful in supporting their educational efforts and struggles.
“You need support,” said Tamar Hodges, association president.
Tyntarica White, another UMSL nursing student, spoke from personal experience about the need for more black nurses. She said she witnessed her father as a war veteran endure discrimination and unfair treatment even though he had served his country.
White said, “I feel like we need more people of the same race to be out here taking care of these patients, because we are able to relate.”
For more information on the Black Student Nurses Association at UMSL, call Vanessa Loyd at (314) 516-7513 or email loydv@umsl.edu.