During National Nursing Week, faculty and staff at the University of Regina and the British Columbia Institute of Technology touched on the importance of Indigenizing nursing and nursing education. BCIT highlighted its ongoing work to Indigenize the Bachelor of Science in Nursing curriculum, including how the program ensures that students learn to be advocates for Indigenous patients. URegina Faculty of Nursing Dean Cheryl Pollard spoke to Global News about the need to recruit and retain more Indigenous nurses in Saskatchewan in order to strengthen community connections and ensure better care for Indigenous people. Pollard emphasized how important it is to ensure that Indigenous students know that there are multitudes of opportunities within the province. “It’s also absolutely critical that Indigenous students believe that they can do this,” said Pollard.
