May 17, 2022

Today was the day we were all so anxious for: our presentations in front of our classmates and BCU faculty. Even though we were dreading it, I think they went so well and my classmates did such an amazing job in their research! It was so impressive to see the growth in all of them compared to our initial presentations in the States.

Mental Health Access

We were the first group today and we focused on accessing mental health services in both the US and UK. Even though there are so many disparities we could have focused on, we decided to hone in on the intersectionality of gender and age. Our research found that middle aged men in both countries have the highest rate of suicide even though women are more often diagnosed with mental health problems. This statistic is a testament to the “macho” culture and stereotypes that we have. My takeaway from this research is that as a possible future mental health practitioner, I need to help everyone feel validated in their feelings no matter what.

I thought that we spoke really well and confidently! I feel very passionate about our topic and thought our research was well done. The BCU faculty members Vina and Claire came to see it and they had wonderful things to say.

Immigrations

The next group of Quincy, Audrey, Lindsey, and Beckie presented on how immigrants are represented and treated within education and healthcare. First, they touched on maternal mortality rates which are significantly disproportionate between white and colored mothers. The statistic that black women are 4 times more likely to die in childbirth than white women was truly horrible to hear.

Next, they narrowed their focus on language barriers for immigrants. The most interesting thing I learned was that the the UK does not provide accommodations for secondary school standardized testing in a second language and the US is not any better. Lindsey presented some maps showing that only half of the states in the US offer tests in another language and often times they pick and choose (like Texas using Spanish, but Montana not). What was pretty cool about what the UK is doing to improve this disparity is providing medical translations through DA Language services.

Overall, I thought they were very confident and well informed about what they presented. They also asked some deep questions that really makes the audience reflect. My takeaway from this presentation is that language should not be a barrier to medical services! I may try to pursue medical Spanish so that I can be a better health professional.

Racial Disparities

To continue, the third group presented on how racial disparities contribute to the distrust in healthcare and education. All the members in this group, Asyah, Desire, Lauren, and Reagan are black women so they have a first hand perspective and passion on this topic. They really elevated their presentation by including their own experiences in the United States and other anecdotes from people of color. It was so eye opening when they discussed their feelings about never having someone of color to look up to as an educator or mentor.

Some of the really disturbing information that I learned was the long history of mistrust in the minority communities. They talked about the highly unethical Tuskegee study and forced sterilizations of black women. I was appalled by what has happened to the black community back then and it gave me a whole other perspective about why I may encounter distrust in my future career as a nurse.

This presentation was so informative and the girls did a great job speaking passionately and loudly! My takeaway from this is that we as nurses and educators need to acknowledge our own biases and the United States’ unjust practices. While we cannot right the wrongs of the past, we can do our best to make sure people of color feel safe in our care.

Sexism

The final presentation was about the impact of sexism on healthcare and education by Connor and Alec. As the only males on this trip, they have a very unique perspective to entering female-dominated “pink collar” jobs. Pink collar jobs refers to jobs historically held by predominantly females.

Furthermore, the most shocking statistic I heard was that 82% of U.S hospital CEOs are male, but 66% of them come in with little to no experience. I booed this in my head immediately after hearing it. They continued to say that the reason women who are more qualified do not go for these roles is because they lack the confidence or want to start a family. These ideas are so outdated, but still impacting us. My takeaway is that I will keep this research in mind as I pursue my future roles in nursing. Maybe I will be brave enough to go for a leadership role and represent nurses in the decisions of hospitals. The glass ceiling doesn’t have to be the limit.

Connor and Alec both spoke loudly and maintained eye contact. I was so impressed how they advocated for women which is how I know that they will be excellent educators when they graduate.