In celebration of Black History Month, it’s important to recognize current Black nursing leaders. The nurses we’ve highlighted stand on the shoulders of giants who overcame many obstacles. Several of these obstacles still exist today. Many African American nurses helped pave the way for these nurses to reach the heights they have.
Some of the pioneering nurses include Mary Eliza Mahoney, Harriet Tubman, and Sojourner Truth. In the future, nurses will look back on the ones we’ve highlighted as the pioneers of this generation.
Representation matters. These leaders encourage the next generation of Black nurses to innovate and think ahead. Keep reading to find out more.
Sheila Antrum
Antrum currently serves as the senior vice president and chief operating officer of UCSF Health. She has worked with UCSF for over 20 years. Previously, she worked as a staff and intensive care nurse for some of the nation’s leading hospitals, including the University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins Hospital and Yale University.
Antrum received her Master of Health Services Administration at the University of Michigan School of Public Health in Ann Arbor, Michigan and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Hampton Institute in Virginia.
Ernest J. Grant
Dr. Grant has spent over 30 years in nursing. Grant has received international recognition for his work with burn care and fire safety. Dr. Grant currently serves as president of the American Nurses Association. The organization boasts more than 4 million registered nurses.
In 2012 President Bush awarded him the Nurse of the Year award for treating burn victims from the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11. In 2013, Dr. Grant received the B.T. Fowler Lifetime Achievement Award from the North Carolina Fire and Life Safety Education Council helps prevent fire and burn injuries within the state.
Dr. Grant is also known for his great speaking ability.
Additionally, Dr. Grant works as an adjunct faculty member at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate students.
Dr. Grant earned a BSN degree from North Carolina Central University and MSN and Ph.D. degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He was honored as a fellow into the American Academy of Nursing in 2014. Moreover, he is the first male president of the American Nurses Association.
Beverly Malone
Dr. Malone leads with passion and advocates for diversity in nursing and nursing education. She has worked in many positions, from a surgical staff nurse to dean of the School of Nursing at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
Dr. Malone also served as the deputy assistant for health with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under President Bill Clinton. She continues to support congressional leaders in nurse advocacy. She seeks to decrease the nursing shortage within the United States.
Dr. Malone graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati before getting a doctorate in clinical psychology.
Additionally, was ranked 5th in the Modern Healthcare’s Top 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare.
Gary Richberg
Mr. Richberg worked for over 13 years as an administrator of the Pacific Rim Outpatient Surgery Center in Bellingham, WA. Currently, he serves as the Director of Ambulatory Surgery Centers at Kadlec Clinic in Richland, WA.
In his role jee oversees three ambulatory surgery centers. Specifically, the centers focus on orthopedic and multi specialties.
Mr. Richberg is a registered nurse who has an MBA in Healthcare Management and is finishing up his MSN degree.
Final Word on Influential Black Nurses
Though these nurses faced challenges, they overcame them, and their work does not go unnoticed. Hopefully, these nurses inspire the future generation to reach further and dream more.
However, If you feel inspired by these stories of influential Black nurses and are trying to move up in the nursing world, we can help!
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