Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada (A.N.A.C.)

Aboriginal Nurses' Day: May 11, 2012

Aboriginal Nurses’ Day is being held this year on May 11th, 2012; it is celebrated during National Nursing Week. This day creates an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of Aboriginal nurses. Aboriginal nurses’ work in diverse settings both in rural and urban areas; however, at this time it is important to recognise their work in the area of Aboriginal Health, the provision of care to First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in their urban and rural communities. It is commendable and desirable that many serve these communities as front line workers dealing with day-to-day challenges. Many work with Aboriginal people as it is found to provide rewarding experiences. Congratulations on the many contributions that Aboriginal nurses provide especially to those work with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities in rural and urban areas.

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
A.N.A.C ANNOUNCES CANCELLATION OF 2012 NATIONAL FORUM

Just a few weeks after announcing the 2012 National Forum, the Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada (A.N.A.C.) is saddened to announce the cancellation of this much anticipated event due to a number of factors, one of which was the changing national scene concerning Aboriginal health and federal budget cuts. This year’s theme Mobilizing Indigenous Nursing Knowledge in Primary Health Care was to call upon practitioners, educators and health care providers to share culturally-relevant practices in caring for Aboriginal people, families and communities. The primary focus would have been on training and practices that are culturally relevant, safe and informed by Indigenous knowledge
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ATTENTION NEEDED TO MAINTAIN CANADIAN CONTENT IN RN EXAM

It was recently brought to the Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada’s attention by the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) that 10 of Canada’s regulatory bodies selected the American – based National Council of State Boards of Nursing to develop a new registered nursing entry exam. This means that as early as 2015 the current Canadian exam, the Canadian Registered Nurses Examination (CRNE) will no longer exist. Read more . . .

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ATTENTION NEEDED TO MAINTAIN CANADIAN CONTENT IN RNEXAM

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PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 17, 2012

A.N.A.C. Interim Report on "Cultural Competence and/or Cultural Safety in Nursing Education: A Survey of Canadian Schools of Nursing" Read more . . .

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EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT

2012-13 Diabetes Funding Opportunity
www.lawson.ca/diabetes

The Lawson Foundation will promote the 2012-13 diabetes funding opportunity in April – May 2012.

On April 10, 2012, please check www.lawson.ca/diabetes for application guidelines and time lines.

The Foundation seeks to award $2,000,000 through a Canada-wide call for letters of intent. Ten (10) project grants will be awarded of $200,000 (maximum) payable over 2 years.

The 2012 round is the first of three rounds of funding to award $6,000,000 ($2,000,000/round) to projects using a Canada-wide call for letters of intent in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

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Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada and Canadian Blood Services - OneMatch Collaboration

A Journey to Inspire: The story of Gabe Callicum and a Call to Action from Chief Patrick James

Find out more! View video

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A.N.A.C. Resources

The Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada (A.N.A.C.), has two new resources: The Spirit of Courageous Leaders: Profiles of Aboriginal Nurses and Cultural Competence and Cultural Safety: Curriculum for Aboriginal Peoples.

The Spirit of Courageous Leaders: Profiles of Aboriginal Nurses is a collection of biographies of Aboriginal nurses, whose stories span almost a century. The First Nation, Métis and Inuit women represented throughout this anthology embody a wide array of experiences, challenges and successes in nursing. /read the Press Release (.pdf)

** NOTE: These publications are available for purchase at http://www.anac.on.ca/publications.phphttp://www.anac.on.ca/
publications.php

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Student Webinar Series

A series of Student webinars are being developed to assist A.N.A.C. Student member.

You must be a Student member of A.N.A.C. to login through the Members' Only portal and access the Student Portal.

If you have suggestions for optimal times or subject matter, please contact Connie Toulouse, ctoulouse@anac.on.ca or call toll free 1-800-724-3049 ext. 26.
To view the poster for the webinar series

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Student Portal

Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada (A.N.A.C.) has developed a Student Portal as a support mechanism for our Nursing Student members.

Being a nursing student can be quite tough at times and research has shown it is even harder for Aboriginal nursing students, due to the additional strains of financial pressures, needing to be away from one’s home community, adjusting to a new culture and place while often times trying to deal with housing and/or childcare issues.

To Student Portal is to support our student nurses, with the goal of A.N.A.C.’s support mechanisms to increase the overall numbers of Aboriginal nurses by supporting Aboriginal nursing students during their studies to complete their programs, graduate and become successful nurses. This student portal is also open to all student nurses interested in health issues in First Nation, Inuit and Métis peoples.

Our goal in the website enhancement is to give nursing students a space where they can work together to support each other as cyber-buddies. The student portal will be accessible and only visible to student members of A.N.A.C. The new portal will provide an opportunity for A.N.A.C. student members to share documents, resources, participate one on one chats, forums and webinars.

As it is a secure site, nursing students will need A.N.A.C. memberships to access it.

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Canadian Nurses Association Canada (CNA)
Position Statement on Cultural Competence. . . . . Read more

Cervical Cancer in First Nations Women. Information for Health Care Providers - National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) . . . . . Read more

Aboriginal Peoples and the Canadian Healthcare System
Written by Marina Freire-Gormaly

“I got my degree in physiology, but I didn’t want to do research for the rest of my life, so I went into nursing, because I thought nurses are the point of entry into the healthcare system,” says Rhonda Goodtrack, an advisor to Aboriginal students at the Native Access Program to Nursing and Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. “So I applied, got in, went through the four years, got my degree and went to work in public health right out of nursing school.” .../read more (.pdf)