by Shelley Francis, Coordinator, ANI

As nurses we realize that there is a pressing moral and social obligation to address the disparities of health, social and economic inequities experienced by First Nation, Inuit and Métis people of Canada; we see that many of our People continue to suffer the negative consequences of their circumstances. This consistent inclination towards poor health in terms of the physical, social, spiritual and emotional well-being has become a norm in our communities and we need to take action immediately to correct this trend.

Nursing in a First Nation community is a challenging yet rewarding career for many of us who have had the honour to provide nursing care and service to our communities. Nursing is an opportunity to assist our People in emerging from their lives of health disparity and rise above to lead healthy, productive lives. There is a need for more Aboriginal nurses to help address the health crisis that face our people and to provide culturally competent care to our People. We have the fastest growing population with over 50% aged 25 years and younger yet we are not seeing those numbers being adequately reflected in our health programs. These youth are a valuable human resource to the future health of our People, and we need to challenge them to utilize their resilience, knowledge, life experiences and compassion to help lead Aboriginal people into a healthier way of being.

The Aboriginal Nursing Initiative (ANI) at the University of New Brunswick, Faculty ...

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