Academic-professional trajectory of black nurses in a teaching hospital

Abstract

Objective: To know the academic-professional trajectory of black nurses in a teaching hospital. Methods: Qualitative, exploratory and descriptive study carried out at the Teaching Hospital of the Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The participants were five self-declared black nurses, aged between 35 and 47 years, graduated nine to twenty years ago, working in the aforementioned teaching hospital for five to six years. The interviews were conducted virtually from May to June 2022. The content produced was transcribed in full and treated through content analysis. The research followed all ethical principles. Results: Black nurses reported difficulties, mainly financial, which impacted the access and the possibility to continue in university education during training. In addition, they revealed situations of racism experienced in daily life, whether in structural, institutional forms or in the form of microaggressions. Despite this, they understand the importance of their protagonism in the anti-racist struggle. Conclusion: There is a need for more studies involving black women and nursing, the impact of racism on the mental health of black professionals, in addition to greater efforts to combat racism.