Dispatches International
tion standards to support the use of cultural competencies in the work- place and in nursing schools.” But Lawrence understands
working with other institutions is merely one component to improv- ing the status of healthcare in First Nations communities. “Collabora- tion is a very important resource for schools of nursing because not only is it intended to improve the health situation of Aboriginal cli- ents, but it is also designed to im- prove the recruitment and retention of Aboriginal nursing students,” she emphasizes. “The goal is for them to feel more comfortable in making themselves educated, while self- identifying that they are Aboriginal, and not feeling that they are going to be ostracized as they do their studies. Our work creates a better environment and a more respectful workplace and place to study.” Having a curriculum that
teaches the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis competencies alone is not suf- ficient to improve the overall health status of Canadian Aboriginal peo- ples. Broad recruitment is another essential aspect. Shore attests that “the educational curriculum is cru- cial to not only increasing the cul- tural competency of physicians but also to increasing the number of in- digenous physicians.” “By having more indigenous
physicians, the healthcare sector will serve indigenous peoples in a number of different ways, both di- rectly and in policy,” Shore explains. “This will allow them to influence others in all areas of the healthcare
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sector. For the large number of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people that are in Canada, a representative phy- sician workforce should be around 2,000 doctors.” Right now, how- ever, there are only 300 doctors in Canada who are First Nations, Inuit, or Métis people. “The numbers that are actu-
ally applying to medical school are still small,” Shore explains, noting that some schools are applying un- conventional mechanisms to bolster the number of Aboriginal students. “Some schools have equity seats where they have a certain number of seats set aside specifically for in- digenous students. But even these schools don’t have enough people applying, or coming up the pipeline to fill them.” The University of Saskatch-
ewan is one school adept at recruit- ing, retaining, and supporting its Aboriginal students. “The Nursing Program of the University of Sas- katchewan has the highest number of nursing students across Canada,” says Goodtrack. “We have enrolled over 220 nursing students from across the province. In 2007-2008 and in 2008-2009 we had over 70 Aboriginal nursing graduates each year.” This is a considerable feat, since the largest number of Ab- original peoples live in Ontario, not Saskatchewan, and few Aboriginal youth are willing to travel far be- yond ancestral lands for post-sec- ondary education. The University of Saskatch-
ewan’s recruitment programming includes career fairs, and summer
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