Experience of BME nurse academics in UK higher education institutions (HEIs): ‘Outsiders Within’

Title
An exploration of the experience of BME health educators in UK higher education institutions (HEIs)

Background
Studies have demonstrated unequivocally that many Black Minority Ethnic (BME) academics experience discrimination within HEIs resulting in marginalisation, damaged self-esteem and stunted career progression. These experiences are widespread as parallels can also be found in other international HEIs. There are few studies focussing on the BME nurse academic experiences, but the existence of discrimination within this group has implications for student nurses’ learning, aspirations and career progression.
Aims: This study aims to gain an insight into BME nurse academic’s experiences of discrimination, to determine the impact on progression and development and also the coping strategies used to overcome racialised experiences.

Methods
Narrative research methodology was used to capture the experiences and the meaning that participants attributed to them. A snowball sampling technique was used to identify and recruit participants from England and Scotland. So far n=10 BME academics from a range of background, ages and positions were interviewed between 2017 and 2018 using semi-structured in-depth interviews. To date two ‘stories’ have been analysed using dialogic/performance narrative analysis (Riessman 2008) and NVivo software.

Results
Each participant produced their own individual narrative of experience as a BME academic, but there are also commonalities across the stories. Although each story told of ‘multiple oppressions’ that shaped their journey, the most significant appears to be their struggle to overcome racial discrimination and how this has shaped their career trajectory, personal and professional lives and the significant impact it has had on their experience within higher education.

Conclusions
By providing an insight into the experiences of BME nurse educators it is hoped that BME academics will be empowered to challenge and change current HEI institutional policies.