Collaborating for Success A Partnership for the Success

Collaborating for Success – A Partnership for the Success of Aboriginal Students in Health Programs at Thompson Rivers University Susan Duncan, Star Mahara, Joanne Brown, & David Lindley Funded by: Aboriginal Health Human Resources Initiative (AHHRI) FNHC/AHHRI BC Post Secondary Institution Gathering 2009

The campuses of Thompson Rivers University are located on the traditional and unceded lands of the Secwepemc people

AHHRI Collaboration • Thompson Rivers University – School of Nursing – Aboriginal Education Centre – School of Social Work • Secwepemc Cultural Education Society • Simon Fraser University and Kamloops Indian Band • Interior Health

Aboriginal Nursing Project • Funding Sources – Nursing Directorate – Ministry of Advanced Education Innovation Grant – Aboriginal Health Human Resources Initiative

Aboriginal Nursing Project • Recruitment • Practical Supports • Faculty Development

Four Stages of the Continuum of Health -Care Education and Practice (Mc. Bride and Gregory, 2005) • Upstream • Transitions • Access and Admission to education and practice • Future practice – mentoring, culturally appropriate workplace, career development

Central Questions • What characteristics of nurses and other health professionals are needed by Aboriginal communities now and in the future? • What opportunities exist for Aboriginal nursing students to practice and learn in your community or organization? What supports would you need for this to happen? • For non- Aboriginal students. . . ?

AHHRI Objectives • Relationship building with Aboriginal communities and groups • Bridging program development / Summer Institute • Curriculum development: Practice Education in Aboriginal Contexts • Career and Leadership Development

Goals of Community Gathering • Share Perspectives on Health Education Programs • Strengthen Partnerships • Community Survey and Demographic Analysis • Identify Opportunities for Nursing Students to Learn in Aboriginal Communities and Organizations • Identify and Communicate Next Steps

Summary of Key Findings • Factors contributing to success in post-secondary programs: child and family support, financial support, affordable housing, flexibility for family and community responsibilities • Distance learning requires support and personal interaction • A large percentage of the population require preparatory programs • Programs should be culturally inclusive

Health Education Programs in Post. Secondary Institutions • Health Education Programs as Pathways for Development and Career Mobility • Health Education Programs for the Development of Accessible Relevant Health Services Provision in all Communities and Organizations • Health Education Programs for Community Health Promotion

Looking to the Future • • • Partnerships Curriculum development Placement opportunities Preparatory programs Evaluation and research – Recruitment materials – Practical Supports – Faculty Development

Cultural Safety Modules • A collaborative effort of University of Victoria and TRU nursing faculty, and Aboriginal persons from Vancouver island the BC Interior • Three modules: for on-line or face-to-face learning situations

Cultural Safety TRU/IHA • Faculty development work is a process- not one-off thing • Need commitment of institution, practice agencies, and the School of Nursing • Positives – CRNBC Competencies Required of New Graduates – requires cultural safety – New Health Assessment Text: Browne, A. J. , & Varcoe, C. (2009). Cultural and social considerations in health assessment. In C. Jarvis, A. J. Browne, J. Mac. Donald. Jenkins, & M. Luctkar-Flude, (Eds. ). Physical examination & health assessment (1 st Canadian ed. ) (pp. 35 -50). Toronto, ON: Elsevier. Utilizes a critical cultural (cultural safety) perspective

Aboriginal Health Class for Year One Nursing Students • • Canadian history: Colonization The residential school experience The First Peoples of this territory Health promotion: Working together with Aboriginal people

Designing Classes for Students • • Work with Aboriginal community members In this case – classes were designed in collaboration with an Elder DVD – “The Fallen Feather” Elder helped students understand more about his worldview. Help students deal with their emotions to the reality of Canada's colonial history and the Residential Schools; encourage students as “future healers” • Course evaluation – new information to many students; want to know more; want increased opportunities to work with Aboriginal people • Better understanding of current issues e. g. , importance of traditional lands –”Health and Land – Go Hand in Hand” • Increased respect for strength of Aboriginal peoples

Nursing Practice Opportunities • • Students work with Aboriginal communities on projects: involving families at the daycare; increasing flu immunization; lack of transportation on KIB reserve Project with Simpcw youth group – view of health, views of education; encourage to consider health careers – field trip to TRU and nursing learning centre – Aunties and uncles as chaperones; Aboriginal student role models helping out; students welcomed by Elder and FNSA president; students wanting to learn about how their bodies functioned; also very dextrous handling equipment

Youth and Nursing Students at Chua Simpcw Youth at TRU Nursing Learning Centre BP Practice and Collages of Health

Mentoring and Leadership Development • Students encouraged to present at conferences • Senior students role model and mentor first year students • Involve students in Aboriginal health organizations: (FN Nurses Practice Group; NINA – AGM and Visioning meeting; membership in NINA and ANAC – students meet other role models/mentors • We have helped several students obtain substantial scholarships and bursaries – especially ones related to leadership

Students Help With Recruitment in Aboriginal Communities • Important role models for youth • Gain experience teaching community members about health; about nursing as a career • Especially powerful when students travel to their own community

AHHRI Phase 3 • Career and Leadership Development. Assist Aboriginal nurses to access graduate education. • Need to work with education institutes, graduates, and workplace representatives to understand transition issues and support needs • Two of our recent graduates have begun Masters degree studies • How do we replace these valued health professionals when they are back in school for further education?

Challenges 1. Cultural safety cannot be reduced to a checklist – it is relational and thus on-going – it happens with every encounter between faculty-student or health professional and client; requires commitment to study the self. 2. How to work with IHA and Aboriginal communities to increase opportunities for students to work with Aboriginal people? 3. Aboriginal graduates with advanced education – valuable in the workplace, and as teachers of new health professionals – can we create joint appointments that allow practice and education to benefit?