Canadian universities, university colleges and colleges are responding to the needs of Aboriginal students for nursing education. A.N.A.C. Presentation at 2007 Council Meeting Past, Executive Director of the Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada (A.N.A.C.), provided Council members with a presentation about the role and projects of A.N.A.C. Please click here to access the A.N.A.C. presentation Against the Odds: An Update on Aboriginal Nursing in Canada Against the Odds: An Update on Aboriginal Nursing in Canada was released in April 2007 and provides a picture of the progress that has been made during the past five years.
Please click here to access the report Against the Odds: An Update on Aboriginal Nursing in Canada FNIHB / CASN Aboriginal Nursing Education Workshop On September 26 to 28, 2003 in Ottawa, a workshop was held to explore, to discuss and to recommend action on issues related to the recruitment and retention of Aboriginal students into the nursing profession. The event was sponsored by the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) of Health Canada and organized by the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN).
Participants at the workshop included representatives from CASN member schools, the Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada (A.N.A.C.), Health Canada and FNIHB, the Aboriginal Institutes Consortium (AIC), the National Aboriginal Health Organizations (NAHO), the First Nations University of Canada (formerly the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College), the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA), and Canadian Executive Services Organization (CESO).
The workshop featured invited guests Dr. Frances Hughes, Chief Nursing Advisor of New Zealand, and Denise Wilson, Senior Lecturer in Nursing, Massey University, New Zealand, who acted as resource persons to talk about the framework for nursing education in their country, and their government and Nursing Council policies that addresses inequalities in delivery of health to its Maori population. Dr. David Gregory, Dean of Nursing at the University of Manitoba, on behalf of Fjola Hart-Wasekeesikaw, President of A.N.A.C., shared their experience with the Taskforce on Aboriginal Nursing Recruitment and Retention Strategies in Canada, Against the Odds. Lu Ann Hill-MacDonald, Executive Director of the Aboriginal Institutes Consortium (AIC) described the plans and aspirations of Aboriginal communities with regard to nursing education. Lu Ann Hill-Macdonald also acted as facilitator for the workshop.
All participants were actively engaged in sharing their experiences and thoughts on how to address this important issue. The workshop was successful in identifying strategic partnerships and strategies for increasing recruitment and retention of aboriginal persons into nursing. A small task force will be created to act on these strategies. Overall, there was a commitment by all to continue the dialogue and to share their experiences. CASN is in a position to make this happen and will keep participants and other interest parties informed. |