BC Funds Saanich Peninsula Aboriginal Nursing Projects
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
2007HEALTH0157-001611
Dec. 13, 2007
Ministry of Health
VICTORIA – The Province has awarded $14,920 to the Tseycum First Nation and $7,881 to the Saanich First Nations Adult Care Society as part of the government’s Aboriginal Nursing Strategies, a provincewide initiative aimed at promoting Aboriginal nursing in B.C., Saanich North and the Islands MLA Murray Coell announced today.“The funding for these Aboriginal nursing projects from the Saanich Peninsula is exciting news for our community,” said Coell. “We recognize that the promotion of health and wellness and increased cultural awareness are important ways to help ensure the best health care for our Aboriginal communities and, this year, we have awarded $500,000 for 15 diverse projects focused on Aboriginal nursing.”
The Tseycum First Nation project, Building Bridges, will work with new nurses to increase their cultural knowledge of Aboriginal communities. This project hopes to enhance nurses’ awareness of the specific health issues and traditional health-care options that are relevant to these communities.
“This project will provide new nurses with exposure to Aboriginal communities and will give them an opportunity to expand their cultural knowledge,” said Jackie Major, administrator of the Tseycum First Nation. “We hope that this project will allow us to raise awareness of Aboriginal nursing and to demonstrate to new nurses the many benefits of working in an Aboriginal community.”
Aboriginal nursing projects receiving funding through the Ministry of Health’s Nursing Directorate must focus on at least one of four main goals:
· Encouraging Aboriginal students to consider nursing as a career and supporting Aboriginal students current enrolled in nursing programs;
· Recruiting and retaining Aboriginal nurses in B.C.;
· Supporting nursing in Aboriginal communities in B.C.; and
· Developing health promotion and disease and injury prevention materials for B.C.’s Aboriginal communities.
Since 2001, the Province has invested $174 million towards B.C.’s Nursing Strategy with a focus on educating, recruiting and retaining qualified nurses.
The Saanich First Nations Adult Care Society project will allow an Aboriginal nursing student to work with a registered nurse in providing home nursing care in one Aboriginal community and in helping establish an arthritis exercise class in a second community.
“Our project will provide an Aboriginal student nurse with the exciting opportunity of working directly with an experienced nurse in a number of communities,” said Judith Atkin, home care nurse supervisor with the Saanich First Nations Adult Care Society. “Importantly, this student nurse will receive mentorship, support and confidence building in a culturally safe environment.”
The Ministry of Health issued a request for proposals for Aboriginal nursing projects for 2007/2008 in June 2007. A total of $500,000 was available to Aboriginal groups, post-secondary institutions, nursing associations and other organizations. This year, in order to provide more flexibility to organizations wishing to submit proposals, the government did not place a limit on individual funding. All funded projects must be completed by March 31, 2008 and the lead of each project is required to submit a final evaluation report to the ministry by April 15, 2008.
Aboriginal Nursing Strategies funding reflects the goals of the Pacific Leadership Agenda and demonstrates the Province’s commitment to build a new relationship with Aboriginal people and to close gaps in health, housing, education and economic opportunities.
For more information about Aboriginal Nursing Strategies, please visit www.health.gov.bc.ca/ndirect/.
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Media contact:
Marisa Adair
Communications Director
250 952-1889
250 920-8500 (cell)
