Nursing Conversations in Black and White

This webinar will address the difficult conversations surrounding racism in nursing that are often not held or are handled poorly.  Past attempts to address racism in nursing have fallen short of the desired results of eliminating the systemic impact and personal biases that continue to surface within the nursing profession. This activity will provide a historical perspective on racism in nursing, with definitions and examples of micro aggression and emotional labor, and challenges from the classroom to clinical practice.  There will be an opportunity for participants to ask questions, and to share their experiences, views, and suggestions.

Your presenters are experienced nurses who decided this is the time to have the difficult conversations, share experiences, and provide a platform for nurses to learn from each other, seek to understand, and look for meaningful change. 

The speakers

  Georgia Barkers, EdD, MBA, MHA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC

Dr. Barkers is a Certified Life Coach and the CEO of The Attitude Nurse, LLC. She has been a registered nurse for 49 years, and continues to be active in her professional associations and community. She retired from the Army Nurse Corps as a Lieutenant Colonel and later retired from the Department of Veterans Affairs, where she served as Associated Nurse Executive for Education at the Atlanta VA Medical Center.

Felicia Chatman, MSN, BSN, RN

Ms. Chatman has over 24 years of experience in nursing, including nursing management, education and training, quality and patient safety, and process improvement. She has a specific professional interest in the continuing professional development of nurses via memorable learning experiences. She is committed and dedicated to the empowerment of nurses.

Rachel Myers, PhD, RN, CDCES

Dr. Myers has 30 years of experience as a Registered Nurse in clinical, staff and patient education, nursing and hospital administration, consulting, and academia. She is currently an Associate Professor and the Interim Associate Director of Undergraduate Programs in the WellStar School of Nursing at Kennesaw State University. She has a specific interest in mindfulness-based interventions and health and wellness. She is actively involved in professional organizations and currently serves as Treasurer of the Georgia Nurses Association.

Karen Rawls, PhD, MSN/Ed, RN

Dr. Rawls is a pioneer in her profession, being the first black nurse elected as chair of the Metro Atlanta Chapter of the Georgia Nurses Association in 2015 and the first black nurse elected as president of the Virginia Nurses Association in 2017. She is a seasoned nurse educator having over 25 years in leadership and teaching across many areas of academic and clinical nursing programs. Her passion is mentoring nurses in realizing their value and worth, and embracing her culture by participating in meaningful works that sustain accountability and empowerment for minority nurses.

For questions, please contact GNA Communications Manager Charlotte Baez-Diaz at charlotte.baez-diaz@georgianurses.org. 

Georgia Nurses Association an approved provider of nursing professional development by the South Carolina Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.