{"id":214,"date":"2021-09-24T16:22:34","date_gmt":"2021-09-24T20:22:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/chapter\/inclusive-health-assessments-with-indigenous-clients\/"},"modified":"2024-06-05T16:17:11","modified_gmt":"2024-06-05T20:17:11","slug":"inclusive-health-assessments-with-indigenous-clients","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/assessmentnursingmain\/chapter\/inclusive-health-assessments-with-indigenous-clients\/","title":{"raw":"Inclusive Health Assessments with Indigenous Clients","rendered":"Inclusive Health Assessments with Indigenous Clients"},"content":{"raw":"

Case Application: Joyce Echaquan <\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\r\n
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Joyce Echaquan was a 37-year-old Indigenous woman who died<\/strong> in a Canadian hospital in September 2020. Before she died, she posted a Facebook Live video of a nurse and another healthcare worker demoralizing her<\/strong> with racist slurs<\/strong>, calling her\u00a0stupid\u00a0and saying, \u201cshe'd be better off dead\u201d (CBC, 2021). <\/span>CBC Joyce Echaquan-coroner-inquest<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Take a moment to reflect on this. The healthcare workers did not interact with Joyce in a way that uplifted her<\/strong> humanity<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

How might Joyce\u2019s story have been different?<\/p>\r\n

Here are a few strategies to consider when engaging in an inclusive assessment with Indigenous clients:<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

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  1. Always try to understand the cultural experiences that affect their health<\/strong>. A nurse interacting with someone like Joyce should be aware that as an Indigenous woman, she may have experienced trauma from colonization, anti-Indigenous racism, and systemic oppression, all of which may have affected her health. The experiences of residential schools have inflicted trauma and abuse on Indigenous children and families, which have resulted in problems including addictions, violence, and suicide (Aguiar & Halseth, 2015; Bourassa et al., 2015). It is important to convey respect <\/strong>for Indigenous clients and their family and empathy <\/strong>for their positionality.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
  2. \u00a0When working with Indigenous people, you should recognize their trauma experiences<\/strong>. Ensure your interactions do not aggravate oppression and health disparities within the healthcare system. Healthcare providers have historically contributed to inequities for Indigenous people, and anti-Indigenous racism persists today in healthcare systems, which has perpetuated systemic discrimination and barriers in healthcare for Indigenous people (Richmond & Cook, 2016). As a result, many Indigenous individuals are distrustful of Canadian institutions including hospitals. <\/span>Use inclusive and anti-racist communication<\/strong>: language should put clients at ease and promote belonging. Joyce\u2019s case illustrates how treatment by healthcare workers reinforced social oppression and trauma, and stripped Joyce of her dignity before her death.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Try to uphold their self-determination<\/strong>. Consider how historical and current policies affect all aspects of health and acknowledge the inherent right to self-determination among all clients (Richmond & Cook, 2016). Even if you lack this kind of knowledge, you can engage in assessments that uphold self-determination. Resist controlling or paternalistic approaches to care and instead prioritize the client's right to make decisions for themselves<\/strong>. In this context, this means that you need to engage in active learning about:<\/span><\/span>\r\n