Because your voice matters.

Patient Speaker, First Nations Residential School Survivor, Coast Mountain College, Terrace Campus

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Closed

Commitment: Short-term

Connection method: Virtual

Open to Northern Region

Last updated

Volunteer Opportunity
You have a story to tell. Your story can help create understanding of the impact of residential schools on you, and your families’ health and well-being. Coast Mountain College is asking you to help shape the future of nursing towards compassionate, culturally sensitive care by sharing your story with nursing students at the Terrace Campus.

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Lead Organization/Department
Nursing Faculty, Coast Mountain College Terrace Campus

Aim
To provide nursing students with an understanding of how the residential school system has impacted the health and wellbeing of not only those who survived residential school, but, also, how this lived experienced impacts their families and future generations. Telling of a patient’s own experience and story will help the students to better understand how past traumas have impacted the survivor and their families, how nurses can be more culturally sensitive and provide nursing care that is culturally safe, and to apply this knowledge to their future nursing practice when working with Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

Level of Engagement
This opportunity is at the level of consult on the spectrum of engagement (www.iap2.org). The promise to you is that the health care partner will listen to and acknowledge your ideas and concerns, and provide feedback on how your input affected the decision.

Eligibility
• A patient or a family member of someone who has attended First Nations Residential School
• Comfortable sharing your story
• Patients should have previously attended a PVN orientation session. If you have not attended an orientation but are interested please contact Cathy Almost directly to see if accommodations may be possible.

Logistics
• 1-2 patient speakers
• Mondays, class is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon. Some flexibility with date and time. Speaking for approximately 30-45 minutes. (Please consider bringing a support person or family member with you) Proposed date: Oct 25th.
• In person or via Video conference: Coast Mountain College, Terrace Campus

Reimbursement
Expenses that are pre-approved will be covered in accordance with Coast Mountain College.

Background
We are attempting to help the students make a connection between the historical traumas experienced by Indigenous Peoples and how this has contributed to some of the poorer health outcomes that Indigenous Peoples may experience. The class is made up of 22 second year nursing students currently taking an introductory course on First Nations Health. Potential risks may result from the sensitive nature of this discussion and the potential for it to trigger past memories related to the initial trauma(s).

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Cathy Almost
Engagement Leader, Patient and Public Engagement | Northern Region
250-615-9932
calmost@bcpsqc.ca

From Our Community

Cherie Mercer

Patient Partner, New Aiyansh

Cherie Mercer

I have learned so much about innovation and capacity building by being part of PVN. I signed up to build my leadership skills, however, I experience benefits for myself, my community and Indigenous peoples throughout the province. I understand more about the complexities and opportunities required to improve health care.

Members of the BCPSQC pose for a team photo at the Quality Forum 2019.

Health Quality BC administers the Patient Voices Network. Using evidence-informed strategies, the Council shifts culture, improves clinical practice and advances person- and family-centred care to support high-quality care for every person in our province.