More Indigenous nurses needed to improve health outcomes, says organization

The Canadian Nurses Foundationkicked off a new campaign today, with the aim of raisingmore than $1million for Indigenous nursing education and research.

The One Million in One Year campaign, launched at the Wabano Centre in Ottawa,will provide more scholarship opportunities for Indigenous students in nursing.

By funding the training of more Indigenous nurses, who are sensitive to the cultural needs of their communities, CNF believes health outcomes in Indigenous communitiescan be improved.

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Isabelle Wallace isan Indigenous nurse from Madawaska Maliseet First Nation in New Brunswick, and a past recipient of a CNF scholarship.

"Indigenous nurses can be a powerful force within their communities and beyond," said Wallace in a press release.

"They have a uniqueunderstanding and background that can make a huge difference, but they need to be empowered first."

Nurses play an important role in the healthcare system, since they are usually the first point of contact for patients. In many remote communities, nurses are often the only health care providers available.

"The recent Truth and Reconciliation Commission highlighted the need for a commitment to improving the health and education of Indigenous people," said CNF CEO Christine Rieck Buckley, in a press release.

"CNF's goal is toprovide opportunities for the sharing of indigenous knowledge, two way learning, and development of best practices."

TheCanadian Nurses Foundation has been supporting nurses, and nursing researchfor over 50 years. In 2009 the organization started a fund forIndigenous nursing students, and to date more than 100 Indigenous nurses have received support from this initiative.

With the increased need for suicide prevention in First Nation communities, the Canadian Nurses Foundation campaign will provide a portion of the money raised to train Indigenous nurses in mental health care.