Cultural Competence and Cultural Safety in First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nursing Education: An Integrated Review of the Literature

• Main Authors: Hart-Wasekeesikaw, Fjola, Gregory, David M.
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada 2009
• Subjects: Medical education > Canada; Nursing > Study and teaching > Canada; Indigenous peoples > Health and hygiene > Canada; Canada; First Nations; inuit
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10133/720

There is a pressing and moral need to redress the health, economic, and social inequities experienced by the First Nations, Inuit and Métis people of Canada. Education is integral to the future of Canada’s Aboriginal people. Nursing has the opportunity to actively educate First Nations, Inuit and Métis students at the baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral levels. Ensuring safe passage through these programs entails, in part, the inclusion of indigenous worldviews, academic and personal supports for students, and curricula which foster competence among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal graduates in the provision of care to Aboriginal peoples. The First Nations, Inuit and Métis youth population is a significant and potential human resource to address the national and global nursing shortage. Unfortunately, Aboriginal youth remain mostly marginalized from nursing programs in Canada. Increasing their numbers is the first challenge for nursing education; beyond admissions, retaining First Nation, Inuit and Métis students warrant action. There is at present sufficient evidence for best practices regarding the education of First Nation, Inuit, and Métis nursing students. Programs adopting these best practices not only foster success among Aboriginal students, but create safe learning environments for all nursing students. Moreover, graduates of these programs are educated in the provision of culturally safe care to the Aboriginal peoples of Canada. The purpose of this document is to address these nursing education challenges by integrating the literature and consequently developing a best practice framework. This framework will assist educators to foster cultural competence and safety among students and particularly in relation to First Nations, Inuit and Métis contexts. The Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada (A.N.A.C.) in partnership with the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN), and the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) are working to strengthen First Nation, Inuit and Métis health human resources in Canada. Funding for the development of this document and the subsequent nursing education framework is provided by the Aboriginal Health Human Resources Initiative (AHHRI) of Health Canada. Aboriginal Health Human Resource Initiative, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch.