B.C. Funds Campbell River Aboriginal Nursing Project

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
2007HEALTH0148-001555
Dec. 6, 2007

Ministry of Health

CAMPBELL RIVER – The Kwakiutl District Council has received $22,361 as part of the government’s Aboriginal Nursing Strategies, a B.C.-wide initiative that will provide $500,000 in 2007/2008 to promote Aboriginal nursing in this province, Health Minister George Abbott and Comox Valley MLA Stan Hagen announced today.“This year we doubled the amount of funding available for Aboriginal nursing projects in B.C. and in doing so we are demonstrating our commitment to ensuring that gaps in health opportunities for our Aboriginal communities are eliminated,” said Abbott. “The 15 projects that received funding will help to increase awareness of Aboriginal nursing opportunities and to guarantee culturally focused health care for Aboriginal communities across the province.”

“Today’s announcement is great for the future of nursing in this province,” said Hagen. “Providing funding that is directly aimed at increasing the number of Aboriginal nurses and student nurses in Island communities is an essential way of ensuring that we meet the health needs of our Aboriginal people.”

Aboriginal nursing projects receiving funding through the Ministry of Health’s Nursing Directorate must focus on at least one of four main goals:

· Recruiting and/or supporting Aboriginal students;

· Recruiting and retaining Aboriginal nurses;

· Supporting nursing in Aboriginal communities in B.C.; and

· Developing health promotion and disease 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 Kwakiutl District Council project, Learning Circles for Aboriginal Nursing, is a continuing program that works to expand the connection between nursing schools and Aboriginal health organizations in B.C. The project also focuses on increasing the enrolment of Aboriginal students in nursing schools and the number of Aboriginal students graduating from nursing programs on Vancouver Island.

“Raising awareness of Aboriginal nursing in B.C. is a key goal for us and we have a number of exciting initiatives planned as part of our project,” said Shelley Henderson, health director for the Kwakiutl District Council. “We plan to publish much of our research and learning at conferences and in nursing publications and we will organize the fourth annual Island-wide Aboriginal student event, which will provide excellent networking and learning opportunities for students and nurses.”

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. All nursing projects must be complete by March 31, 2008 and each project organizer must submit a final evaluation report to the Ministry of Health by April 15, 2008.

For more information about Aboriginal Nursing Strategies, please visit www.health.gov.bc.ca/ndirect/.

-30-

Media contact:

Marisa Adair
Communications Director
Ministry of Health
250 952-1889
250 920-8500 (cell)