On this website, we focus on what we, as nurses, know, and how we come to establish what is known as knowledge. The mystery of it all is the fact that even though we all have common experiences of the world, and we frequently proclaim that we share a common core of values, purpose and beliefs, we often have vastly different experiences, even in shared moments of time. This is at the core of the dynamic of racism.

Shift Films is releasing, on May 10th, a film addressing racism in nursing — the urgency to understand how it happens, to recognize how it harms everyone, especially people of color — and the urgency to do all we can to make a difference! Titled “Everybody’s Work: Healing What Hurts Us all,” the film features commentary from nurses reflecting on their experiences with racism and the actions they envision for change. Excerpts from 15 of the nurses featured in the film are available on the website.

From the press release:

SHIFT, a nursing community supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), proudly announces its second documentary: “Everybody’s Work: Healing What Hurts Us All,” which will be privately screened on May 10, 2024, at the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C.

The United States has more than 4 million registered nurses and nearly 1 million licensed practical and vocational nurses. In 2023, research from RWJF revealed that nurses report a prevalence of racism and discrimination in the workplace; almost 8 out of 10 nurses have experienced or seen it from patients, while 6 out of 10 report experiencing it from their own colleagues. This data highlights the widespread impact of structural racism on nurses everywhere, from the classroom to the front lines.

Given the significant role nurses play in our health and healthcare systems, SHIFT seeks to bring greater attention to and examine their personal experiences with racism and their broader impact on health outcomes. The film serves as a call to action for healthcare organizations and leaders across the nation, who hold the power to address these systemic issues for nurses and patients alike.

“Addressing structural racism in our healthcare system is essential to ensuring everyone has an equal and just opportunity to be healthy,” said Beth Toner, director of program communications at RWJF, which funded the film’s production. “Through their own experiences working and living in these systems, the nurses featured in ‘Everybody’s Work’ share not only what it will take to create change but who it will take. And we all need to take action.”