Closing the gap: A whole of school approach to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander inclusivity in higher education (original) (raw)
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Contemporary Nurse, 2018
Background: Achieving increased participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia's health workforce, particularly nursing, is federal government policy imperative. However, the uptake of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students into nursing has stalled and their attrition from tertiary nursing courses is considerably higher than for other students. Aim: To alert the profession to issues impacting enrolled nursing education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Design: Discussion paper. Results: Studies of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students mainly focus on tertiary education for registered nurses whereas vocational education and training (VET) for enrolled nurses is usually overlooked. It is generally assumed that the issues influencing the recruitment, attrition, and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in higher education universities and other institutions similarly impact enrolled nursing students in the VET sector. Conclusion: Research that contributes robust evidence-based knowledge specifically on strategies addressing issues in enrolled nursing education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their employment uptake is required.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Background: Racism is responsible for health inequity and the harm perpetrated upon Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by white institutions, building on attitudes and beliefs dominated by assumptions of white superiority. The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Curriculum Framework ‘Curriculum Framework’, released in 2014, was introduced to provide a framework for nursing programs and included the introduction of discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health courses to draw attention to the relationship between racism health outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within health care settings. Methods: Using an Indigenist research paradigm with Colonial Critical Race Theory as the methodology and framework, this study presents a document analysis of discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health courses taught in undergraduate nursing programs at 31 Australian Universities. Results: This work draws on the collective activ...
Contemporary Nurse, 2005
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Towards culturally relevant nursing education for aboriginal students
Nurse Education Today, 2011
s u m m a r y Aboriginal nursing students face numerous challenges in North American nursing educational programs, as reflected in the relatively high attrition rate of these students. In this paper, the authors argue that nurse educators need to create more culturally relevant curriculum and instructional approaches for Aboriginal students. Such approaches would help nursing educators to ensure that current aboriginal nursing programswhich are largely assimilative in nature-can be more successful and transformative in nature.
Australian Health Review, 2005
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Journal of Australian Political Economy, 2018
Incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content into social work degrees is now recognised as a core component to ensure a university course is accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). This article examines a number of existing frameworks for embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content in the curriculum across the health disciplines, and outlines a model developed and implemented at the Australian Catholic University. The article identifies some of the implications that creating such models might have for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment in the university sector and beyond. In 2009 the Australian government published its action plan for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) (DEWHA 2009). In this report the government identified several critical areas as a national priority for preparing students for the twenty first century in this culturally diverse world. Some of the priority
Nursing students' perspectives of the health and healthcare issues of Australian Indigenous people
Nurse Education Today, 2015
Background: Indigenous people are the most disadvantaged population within Australia with living conditions comparable to developing countries. The Bachelor of Nursing programme at the University of Western Sydney has embedded Indigenous health into the undergraduate teaching programme, with an expectation that students develop an awareness of Indigenous health and healthcare issues. Aim: To gain insight into students' perceptions of Indigenous people and whether the course learning and teaching strategies implemented improved students' learning outcomes and attitude towards Indigenous people and Indigenous health in Australia. Design: A mixed methods prospective survey design was chosen. Methods: Students enrolled in the Indigenous health subject in 2013 were invited to complete pre-and post-subject surveys that contained closed-and open-ended questions. Students' socio-demographic data was collected at baseline, but the 'Attitude Toward Indigenous Australians' (ATIA) scale, and the 3-item Knowledge, Interest and Confidence to nursing Australian Indigenous peoples scale were administered at both pre-and post-subject surveys. Results: 502 students completed the baseline survey and 249 students completed the follow-up survey. There was a statistically significant attitudinal change towards Indigenous Australians, measured by the ATIA scale, and participants' knowledge, intent to work with Indigenous Australians and confidence in caring for them increased significantly at follow-up. Based on the participants' responses to open-ended questions, four key themes emerged: a) understanding Indigenous history, culture and healthcare; b) development of cultural competence; c) enhanced respect for Indigenous Australians' culture and traditional practices; and d) enhanced awareness of the inherent disadvantages for Indigenous Australians in education and healthcare. There were no statistically significant socio-demographic group differences among those who commented on key themes. Conclusion: Addressing health inequalities for Indigenous Australians is paramount. Nurses need cultural awareness and sensitivity to deliver culturally appropriate healthcare in Australia.