Minority nurses were recently advised to pursue higher degrees and embrace faculty positions in their pursuit of excellence, qualitative patient care and promotion of civil society.
“Teaching is an advanced practice of nursing,” said Dr. Beverly Malone who keynoted the “Addressing Health Disparities: The Role of Diversified Health Care Providers” said and urged minority nurses to “go back to school and explore every opportunities that could offset their tuition and other school expenses to kick-start their graduate programs before marriage, home-ownership and responsibilities kick-in.
“Seven percent of nursing faculty members are minorities. The distribution is not good for minorities in their quest for inclusion in traditional and bigger nursing organization with bigger political clout to effect political changes needed changes,” said Dr. Beverly Malone, CEO, National League for Nursing.
Earlier, CSU interim President, Dr. Frank G. Pogue in his opening address had tasked CSU graduates and faculty to go beyond the call of duty and promote civil society devoid of unwarranted hindrances as they join the workforce.
He advised them to be role models especially to the younger generations and the society at large through the discharge of their duties and other community service.
Ninety-percent of CSU nursing graduates work across Chicagoland medically underserved areas, hence the need for them to mentor others coming behind them and even their peers in overcoming various challenges that comes their way either at work and during their degree years.
“We need to be the best prepared we can be. Get higher degree and help each other in the process. It is the pursuit of excellence,” she said.
Drawing from his vast experiences inclusion a sojourn in England, Dr. Malone praised the Chicago State University (CSU) especially the College of Health Sciences for making a huge difference in the community.
“You have a focus and determination to make your students a success unlike other schools offering nursing degrees across the nation,” Dr. Beverly Malone and cited CSU’s interdisciplinary courses as a trailblazer in the pursuit of excellence.
She asked them to participate actively in the electoral process especially presidential election where a minority is one of the main contenders stressing “all of you should be registered now. Please register to vote and get your family to vote,” she said.
Dr. Malone reminded them of their civil civic functions of “pushing health care issues to the front burner of the political candidates and cleaning up the mess in the nursing homes.”
In his presentation, Guest Speaker Dr. Terry Mason, urged African Americans to make the structural changes needed to overcome years of inequality of access to healthcare and cited the summer high gas price as changing Americans to walking and losing weight in the process.
“It’s just 44 years since African Americans begin to have equal access to healthcare,” hence the disparity in the where “we are and where other groups are in the country.”
The situation, he said, may continue except minority groups work against disease detection and management systems with a pragmatic solution that address health issues and diseases confronting them.
The health disparity is not limited to minorities here as the situation are not different with situation is He cited Japan The health disparity in America
