We had the good fortune of connecting with Deasa Dorsey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Deasa, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
In a 2020 survey from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and The Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers, over 80% of registered nurses identified as white/Caucasian, whereas 6.7% of nurses identified as Black/African American. In 2020 Census data, over 40% of the US population identified as a person of color. These statistics are widely known and accepted in the nursing community, with many organizations seeking to address the disparity in a variety of ways.

I’d like to think of myself as a problem solver. If I see an opportunity to make impact in an area that I am able, in this case increasing diversity in the nursing field, I will. This is the origin of creating Black Nurse Network. Black Nurse Network (BNN) aims to support nursing students through their education and into professional settings thus increasing diversity of our healthcare workforce and creating a more just healthcare system for all individuals.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Sitting in classrooms of perhaps 50+ students and being one of the very few Black nursing students can be a lonely and slightly intimidating feeling and experience. Thankfully during my undergraduate career I had at least one program director that looked like me. She served as an advocate, a supporter, and an ear during my journey and is definitely someone I credit for helping me get through the nursing program. I realize just how important she was to me, how important it was to build relationships and community with the very few other black nursing students that looked like me and to have a mentor available to me. This is precisely why I am dedicated to paying it forward. Nursing school is tough. Black Nurse Network is here to provide the support that is needed.

Professional mentoring is one such strategy that can increase the representation of Black nurses in the healthcare profession while also cultivating an increased sense of belonging for underrepresented nursing students and professionals. Our program aims to create a community of Black nurses and nursing students who support and learn from each other.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
So many people have supported me and nurtured me into the woman I am today. I feel compelled to lift as I climb. Specific to the area of nursing, I must thank Ms. Lavern Sutton who literally is a big reason I graduated from nursing school. Next, I must thank the co-founder of Black Nurse Network and my mentor in many ways, Dr. Karen Bankston. Shout out to my family and friends who always support me and all my wild ideas!

Thank you Dr. Kelli Beecher for seeing the vision and running with it. The mentoring program exists because of you. Thank you to Angie Cook who walks alongside me and encourages me. Bryan Hatcher, your mind is amazing! Thank you for all you’ve done and contributed. To each and every mentor and mentee, there’s no Black Nurse Network without you.

Dekeisha Foster, thank you for your patience, support, encouragement and always stepping up and in!

Website: https://blacknursenetwork.wixsite.com/website

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blacknursenetwork/

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