Islamophobia in Canadian Nursing: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study Looking at the Experiences of Female Muslim Nurses

BackgroundMuslim Nurses in Canada are experiencing Islamophobia in the workplace and in educational institutions. These experiences result in increased mental distress for these nurses, social isolation at the workplace, and considerations of leaving the nursing profession.AimThis study explores the experiences of Islamophobia for Registered Nurses who wear the hijab at work in Canada. This study is grounded in Critical Race Theory and aims to answer the following research question: What are the experiences of Islamophobia for female Canadian Registered Nurses who wear the hijab? The participants in the study described experiences from their workplaces and their experience attending nursing school in Canada.MethodA total of six participants were interviewed, and the findings were analysed using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis method. Muslim nurses' experiences were characterized by their sense of belonging.FindingsKey findings consist of the experiences of Islamophobia being related to the negative stereotypical identity of what it means to be a Muslim woman, being associated with these nurses, how they discover their own identity as nurses and finally, how they reconcile their personal and social identities as Muslim women with their identity as Registered Nurses.ConclusionThis study uncovers the process of self-discovery that Muslim nurses undergo after experiencing Islamophobia through being assigned an identity. This process enables them to reconcile what it means to be Muslim nurses, allowing them to practice comfortably at the workplace. Recommendations are that policy changes should be enacted, which protect Muslim nurses and work to prevent incidents of Islamophobia. Secondly, anti-racism training should be provided to both nursing students and staff to foster more supportive workplaces.