Methods and Processes for First Nations Health Curriculum Development for Nursing, Medicine, Dentistry and Allied Health Entry-Level Programs: A Scoping Review

• Published in: SAGE Open
• Main Authors: Shirley Godwin, Nerida Hyett, Mishel McMahon, Carol McKinstry, Natasha Long, Mary Whiteside, Chris Bruce
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publishing 2023
• Subjects: History of scholarship and learning. The humanities; AZ20-999; Social Sciences; H; First Nations
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231163834; https://doaj.org/article/0815db7073bf4e58b75bf6322199428c

The inclusion of First Nations health curricula in programs is critical for the development of culturally safe graduates, however, less is known about how to embed content into curriculum in ways that reflect best practice and pedagogy. The aim of this scoping review was to describe methods and processes of First Nations health curriculum development in nursing, medical, dentistry, and allied health entry-level programs in international peer-reviewed journals. Systematic searches of databases were completed including CINAHL, Proquest, Medline, and Informit; with additional searches in Google Scholar and First Nations-led journals. A total of 104 articles met inclusion criteria; the majority relating to medicine ( n = 38) and nursing/midwifery ( n = 17) student cohorts. Methods and processes for embedding First Nations health content are described, including First Nations-led development and co-leadership, resulting in a suggested model for curriculum development. Evidence-informed curriculum development is critical to ensure effective methods and processes are adopted and cultural safety learning outcomes are achieved.