College actively recruits students for program

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A partnership between the University College of the Cariboo, the Secwepemc Cultural Education Society (SCES) and Aboriginal communities in the Kamloops area has resulted in an Aboriginal nursing project aimed at recruiting Aboriginal students into the nursing profession. The Native and Inuit Nurses Association of British Columbia (NAINA) described the project, funded by the Ministry of Health Planning's nursing directorate, as "groundbreaking."

Indigo Sweetwater, president of NAINA, said an Aboriginal nursing force is definitely needed, especially for remote areas all across Canada. NAINA's database shows only 140 Aboriginal nurses in British Columbia compared to 27,000 non-Aboriginal nurses. That is "not even a drop in the bucket, and we are astounded as well," Sweetwater said.

Sweetwater outlined reasons why the number of Aboriginal nurses is low.

These include language barriers, cultural insensitivity, lack of money for higher education, family commitments and lack of flexibility in the academic course of study.

"Medical terminology can be very difficult for an Aboriginal nursing student if English is not his or her first language. Then there is the whole different concept of family commitments ... what happens when there is a death in the family? When your culture says that going home for the funeral is more important than school, what can you do? I know, because I was once a student, and in nursing school there is absolutely no flexibility whatsoever-you have to put your personal life on hold," she said.

Sweetwater added that cultural insensitivity is a hurdle that all Aboriginal students have to go through.

"Going through this makes it even harder for them to succeed. That is why I think mentorship programs and role model programs are important.

Sweetwater said there are plans underway to provide workshops about various cultures for the nursing school faculty, in order to improve cross-cultural relations.

"Here in Kamloops it would be the Secwepemc culture. This project will contribute to a beginning of an understanding of local Aboriginal history, cultures and especially protocols, which will be an Aboriginal achievement. This is so important and it needs to be really addressed," she said.

On Jan. 27 a luncheon was held at University College for nine Aboriginal nurses who are currently attending UCC. Sweetwater said that this gathering allows the nursing faculty and Native nurses who are members of NAINA to come together for a social event.

"It went really well; everyone enjoyed themselves. The idea that UCC wants to create and implement some faculty development around our cultural awareness, I say is great. It is very, very good because it needs to be there," said Sweetwater.

More than 10,000 students attend UCC and 900 are Aboriginal.

Star Mahara, project co-ordinator for the Aboriginal nursing project, said it was built as a result of recommendations taken from a report called Against the Odds-a National Task Force on Recruitment and Retention Strategies. Health Canada made the report available in 2002.

Mahara said the document pointed to many changes needed at educational institutions and in nursing programs across the country. It recommended an increase in recruitment and retention of Aboriginal students.

Mahara said that there are three parts to the nursing project:

First, the recruitment strategy includes visiting Aboriginal communities.

Once recruited, students will be provided with the practical support of a role model and mentorship program.

The last piece addresses cultural sensitivity and includes the faculty development workshop.

"Recruitment materials put together are culturally appropriate. A video, brochures and materials feature Aboriginal nurses talking about their experiences.

"We will also focus more on the support of students, because normally if a student makes it through the first semester in the first year they almost alway make it through the program.

We are working with people in the local Aboriginal groups and we are using the concept of cultural safety."

Mahara said that the faculty at UCC is also going to be looking at racism.

She said that they have to be firm on the subject because many institutions, including colleges, and the health care and the nursing professions, are not in a culturally sensitive society.

"The one thing our faculty is going to look at is mainstream's beliefs, values and lack of knowledge about the history of Aboriginal people's issues, land claims, colonization, the residential school experiences, their loss of cultural identity, assimilation, and how all these things link to poverty. This project should be successful," she said.

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