Series Hosted by CCHL BC Interior Chapter
Healthcare Closer to Home – Creating a Path to the Future
A persistent issue for rural and Indigenous communities is access to quality culturally safe healthcare. Current recruitment strategies for nurses are not sufficient, causing many rural hospitals to close. While many rural and Indigenous nurses grew up in rural and remote communities, moving to urban centres to access nursing education remains a barrier for many potential nursing students. In addition, equitable healthcare access is a long-standing social justice issue impacting Indigenous communities in Canada due to the ongoing impacts of colonization and systemic racism. To address these complex problems, the International Council of Nurses (2023) calls on nursing leaders to lead and “support community participation and community empowerment to harness the strength and resilience of communities” (p. 7). However, systemic barriers remain for rural and Indigenous people interested in accessing the requisite post-secondary education to become nurses.
In 2022, the University of Calgary Faculty of Nursing launched a rural “Grow Your Own” Program in Wainwright, Alberta, in partnership with Alberta Health Services and the iiyikinaami (Spirit Helper) Bachelor of Nursing student cohort in partnership with Old Sun Community College, a First Nations-led post-secondary institution on Siksika First Nation. Each program was tailored to their address the communities' strengths, such as including local Indigenous knowledges and health practices, as well as barriers to entry.
These innovative solutions address the healthcare worker shortage and the need for more rural and Indigenous nurses who can provide culturally safe care within their home communities. In this presentation, I will share lessons about the challenges of running a rural nursing program during a worker shortage, the complexities of relationship building between western and Indigenous institutions, and the ongoing attention and care required to support student success in these rural and Indigenous community routes.
Featured Speaker:
Heather Bensler RN MSN EdD
Dr. Heather Bensler RN MSN EdD is the assistant dean academic partnerships and an associate professor (teaching) in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Calgary. In her current role, she leads the ongoing development, sustainment, and extension of the faculty’s undergraduate Rural and Indigenous “Grow Your Own” nursing program with campuses across Alberta in rural and Indigenous communities. Dr. Bensler’s research focuses on the use of participatory theatre to build the capacity of nursing students and practicing nurses to recognize and disrupt anti-Indigenous racism in education and practice.
Fees:
CCHL Members: $10.00
Non-Members: $15.00
Thank you to our Sponsor:
