Tag Archives: Canada

Mod 3, Post 4: Nursing Education responds to the truth & reconciliation report

This article was published in the International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship and has some insights that are directly linked to our course material. It discusses the unique needs of Indigenous nursing students. It directly links themes from pedagogy and the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to help identify the challenges and rewards of working with Indigenous nursing students to promote more Indigenous nurses into the profession. This is an excellent article that I used heavily in my paper.

The image above, I took from a CBC News report discussing the theme of my paper – to help heal the poor relationship between the health care system and Indigenous people, more Indigenous nurses and understanding of Indigenous health issues is required in health care.

Lane, A., & Petrovic, K. (2018). Educating aboriginal nursing students: Responding to the truth and reconciliation report. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, (1) doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ijnes-2017-0064

photo credit: Sterritt, A. (2017, May 11). More Indigenous nurses needed to change health-care system, practitioners say. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/strength-of-indigenous-nurses-highlighted-on-national-day-1.4110129

M3P2: The Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association

In 1974, a number of nurses with Aboriginal ancestry joined together with others to form the Aboriginal Nurses Association in 1975, which then became the Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association.

As part of their mandate, the CINA helped inform the Federal/Territorial/Provincial Workforce committee on Health Workforce in their work with the Principle Nursing Advisors Taskforce in 2017 to develop a vision for the future of nursing in Canada that included Indigenous Health. In 2020, the report was published and included numerous strategies and recommendations for involving Indigenous people, Indigenous nurses and nursing schools to improve the health of Indigenous peoples in Canada.

Despite this work by and for nurses, the systems involved are slow to respond, and Indigenous people continue to have poor health outcomes, higher rates of suicide, higher rates of drug and alcohol use, and higher rates of incarceration than the Canadian average (Statistics Canada, 2021). These indicators also clearly indicate symptoms resulting from a legacy of trauma.

While many governmental organizations have commitments to Indigenous health, acknowledgement of Indigenous peoples and multiple task forces and working groups, there doesn’t seem to have been much progress made to improve Indigenous health and well-being.

The mandate of the CINA continues to work on this more specifically with nursing health professionals, as demonstrated by their key objectives. However, there is still much work to be done.

The Association’s key objectives were updated in 2010 to be more reflective of current changing health, social and political environment:

To work with communities, health professionals and government institutions on Indigenous Health Nursing issues and practices within the Canadian Health system that address particular interest and concern in Indigenous communities with a view to benefiting Indigenous peoples of Canada by improving their health and well-being, physically, mentally, socially and spiritually.
To engage and conduct research on Indigenous Health Nursing and access to health care as related to Indigenous Peoples.
To consult with government, non-profit and private organizations in developing programs for applied and scientific research designed to improve health and well-being in Indigenous Peoples.
To develop and encourage the teaching of courses in the educational system on Canadian Indigenous health, Indigenous knowledge, cultural safety in nursing and the health care system and/or other educational resources and supports.
To promote awareness in both Canadian and International Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities of the health needs of Canadian Indigenous people.
To facilitate and foster increase participation of Indigenous Peoples involvement in decision-making in the field of health care.
To strengthen partnerships and develop resources supporting the recruitment and retention of more people of Indigenous ancestry into nursing and other health sciences professions.
To disseminate such information to all levels of community.

Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association. (n.d.). Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association (C.I.N.A). Https://Indigenousnurses.Ca. https://indigenousnurses.ca/about

Statistics Canada. (2021, June 28). Indigenous peoples. Https://Www.Statcan.Gc.ca/Eng/. https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/subjects-start/indigenous_peoples

MODULE 3 – ENTRY 5: Transitioning in Western Canada

Free to Share photo by Creative Commons / People Matters Media

The transition into formal early learning settings, such as preschool and child care, represents a significant milestone for children and families.This particular paper that I found online, explores the perspectives of 25 Indigenous parents and family members and two caregivers who share and reflect on their transition of the Indigenous children from their home to an early childhood development program in a large urban centre in western Canada. The findings suggest that the transition experiences begin well before Indigenous children and families even join a program. There are multiple factors that facilitate their participation, such as costs, transportation and location. How these parents negotiate their transition is inevitably impacted by their historical experiences with schooling and the place of culture and language in supporting their children and families. As educators, and facilitators of supportive learning programs, we must all come to an understanding that the social, cultural and historical realities that shape the transition experience for Indigenous children and families, must be done with awareness, acknowledgment, empathy and respect.

Reference:

Hare, J., & Anderson, J. (2010). Transitions to early childhood education and care for Indigenous children and families in Canada: Historical and Social Realities. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 35(2), 19–27.[Site]. Retrieved June 22, 2021 from https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/10.1177/183693911003500204

MODULE 3 – ENTRY 4: Failing Canada’s First Nations Children

Public Domain photo by Balises

Shannen´s dream was to have new schools built for all the Indigenous youth, so that they wouldn’t have to leave their homes, families and communities to get an education. Shannen was a proactive and intelligent Indigenous student, who utilized the various media platforms to speak up about the inequities the Indigenous kids are still dealing with everyday back in 2016 and still holds true today. She was the spokesperson for the young Indigenous students, and shared their stories to muliple politicians, pleaing for a change, for new schools to be built, and to be heard. Sadly, Shannen died at the very young age of 15 in a car accident. But her fight for equality and education for all Indigenous youths, lives on. This short video clip shows how Indigenous kids from isolated communities in Canada are forced to move away from their families – just to go to school and what the results are from being forced away from home to get an education. This reminded me of some of the stories my mother shared with me when I was a child. I remember her telling me how some of her students live away from their parents so that they can go to school in the city, and I remember how I felt confused, sad and scared for them. Being a child myself, at the time, to have the thought of not being near my parents made my heart beat fast, and that feeling of fear and loss of what those children were experiencing, I have never forgotten.

Reference:

Crime Beat TV. (Mar 5, 2016). FULL STORY: Failing Canada’s First Nations Children Retrieved on June 22, 2021 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhEh-D7IRQc

MODULE 2 – Entry 4: FINDING MEANINGFUL RESOURCES

Early Years Indigenous Cultural Safety Resource Guide. BC Ministry of Children and Family Development:

I feel, the earlier we can help support our Indigenous students the better their chances will be for success in every aspect of their lives. The purpose of this guide is to help educators who work with younger Indigenous children, families, and communities find appropriate and meaningful resources that will increase their ability to provide culturally safe and respectful care.

Where can I learn more about Indigenous people in Canada?:

This site includes resources for children of all ages. It lists Indigenous themed picture books, comic books, reading books, video games, colouring pages, fun booklets, online crossword, interactive games, “Did You Know Q & A” and a bead amaze art activity. If you click on “Explore the Indigenous Culture” it leads to more topics for children to go through, like the following: Indigenous History, Totem Pole info, Indigenous Resources, Fun Facts (Food, Language, Sports, Dance), First Nations (People, Books, Crafts). CBC Kids’ Indigenous resources display items and activities that would expose the younger generation to the beautiful culture of the Indigenous peoples in fun, simple creative ways that would capture many children’s hearts and minds in an engaging and informative manner.

The BC Aboriginal Child Care Society (BCACCS)-Centre of Excellence for Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care:

This particular site looks into helping Indigenous communities develop high quality, culturally grounded, spiritually enriching, community child care services that are based in the child’s culture, language and history. There is a team of dedicated people who help provide leadership, training, resources, and services to support Indigenous early learning and child care. They honour the memory and dedication of those that came before us and have joined them in this journey to support Indigenous early learning child care. There are amazing links to projects and videos linked to the BCACCS, for example the “The Documentation Project,” various workshops, curriculum kits and services like including hosting two preschool programs that provide quality demonstration and learning sites, outreach, networking, research, resources, and training to support early childhood educators and the Indigenous children and families they serve.

Public Domain Photo, taken by the University of Saskatchewan

References:

BC Ministry of Children and Family Development.(2018). The BC Aboriginal Child Care Society (BCACCS)-Centre of Excellence for Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care.[Site]. Retrieved May 29, 2021 https://www.acc-society.bc.ca/about/

Canada Media Fund. (2021). Where can I learn more about Indigenous people in Canada? [Site]. Retrieved May 29, 2021,https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/where-can-i-learn-more-about-indigenous-people-in-canada

Province of British Columbia. (March 2021). Early Years Indigenous Cultural Safety Resource Guide. BC Ministry of Children and Family Development.[Site]. Retrieved May 29, 2021,https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/family-and-social-supports/child-care/ics_resource_guide.pdf

Module 1 Post 1: What does Indigenization mean and why is it important?

Module 1 Post 1

Before I investigate the process of Indigenization of post-secondary curriculums and the role technology plays in Indigenization, I think it’s important to first understand what Indigenization means and why it’s important. In this first video, Dr. Jo-ann Archibald from the University of British Columbia explains what it means to Indigenize a curriculum.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Bqe5ka7iCw

The second video also explores what Indigenization means. In addition, it highlights the importance of Indigenizing educational institutions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLe1mxiT4rM