Parent and staff perceptions of racism in a single-center neonatal intensive care unit.
Kayla L KarvonenOlga SmithBrittany D Chambers ButcherLinda S FranckSafyer McKenzie-SampsonMonica R McLemoreMatthew S PantellElizabeth E RogersPublished in: Pediatric research (2024)
In alignment with previous literature, NICU parents reported experiencing racism and NICU staff reported witnessing racism in the NICU. Our study also uniquely describes personal experiences with racism by staff in the NICU. NICU staff reported witnessing and experiencing racism more often than parents reported. Black staff reported witnessing and experiencing more racism than white staff. Differences in reporting is likely influenced by variations in lived experience, social identities, psychological safety, and levels of awareness. Future studies are necessary to prevent and accurately measure racism in the NICU.