Listening, Believing, and Advocating: Nurses’ Role in Ending Healthcare Disparities for Black Women

Black women have long faced disparities in healthcare, not just as providers and innovators but as patients. The statistics are damning—higher maternal mortality rates, misdiagnoses, delayed treatment, and an ongoing struggle to have their pain taken seriously. These issues don’t stem from biology; they stem from bias, systemic inequities, and a long history of medical racism.

We see this in the stories that repeat over and over. The Black mother dismissed in labor, the young woman sent home despite concerning symptoms, the patient whose pain is met with skepticism rather than care. These are not isolated incidents. They are patterns, and as nurses, we are in a position to break them.

Our job isn’t just about treating symptoms—it’s about listening, believing, and advocating. It’s about recognizing the deep-rooted mistrust Black patients may have toward the healthcare system and doing the work to repair it. It’s about checking our own biases, educating ourselves on health disparities, and making sure every Black woman who comes under our care feels seen, heard, and respected.

We must also acknowledge the generational trauma that stems from medical abuse and neglect. From the exploitation of Henrietta Lacks’ cells to the forced sterilizations of Black women throughout history, the scars of medical racism run deep. These wounds do not simply fade with time; they require intentional effort, systemic change, and genuine accountability. Trust must be rebuilt through transparency, inclusion, and a commitment to patient-centered care.

We can start by acknowledging the problem. By believing Black women when they tell us they’re in pain. By pushing for better training on implicit bias and making sure our workplaces prioritize cultural competency. By being the voice in the room that says, ‘Something isn’t right here—let’s take another look.’

We also have a responsibility to speak up in moments where inequities arise. If a colleague dismisses a Black patient’s concerns, we challenge it. If hospital policies or treatment guidelines don’t account for racial disparities, we advocate for change. If Black women’s voices are being silenced in conversations about their own health, we amplify them.

Nursing is about more than just medicine. It’s about humanity. If we want to uphold the ethics and heart of our profession, we must do better. Not just during Black History Month, but every single day. Because Black women’s lives depend on it.

The work won’t be easy, but that has never stopped us before. Nurses are the backbone of healthcare, the advocates on the frontlines, the ones who ensure compassion is not an afterthought but a standard. We are healers in every sense of the word. And healing means justice. Healing means equity. Healing means standing beside Black women and making sure their health, their voices, and their lives are truly valued.

#BlackHealthMatters #NursesForEquity #TheRitualNurse #DoBetter #HealthJustice