Giving culturally sensitive care to 1st Nations families

Editorial Team / Admin · Oct 3, 2005

Hi Everyone! If anyone has some info or advice on giving culturally appropriate care to 1st Nations peds patients could you send me a reply? Thanks.

:balloons: Hello and Welcome to Allnurses.com:balloons:

I see you are from Canada. This is term used there, yes? If so, I can move your thread to the Canadian forum for a better response. I am unfamiliar with this term.....

fergus51 · Oct 4, 2005

First Nations = American Indian in Canada. The word "Indian" is not used to describe them as it's seen as somewhat old fashioned and carries some negative connotations (sort of like how Americans wouldn't call an African American patient a negro or coloured anymore).

Hermit, I think this really depends on what band your patient is from. There is so much diversity between different bands in Canada that it's very hard to generalize. A few general things I've found: Ask the family if there are any special cultural practices or beliefs which influence their views on health and their child's hospitalization, and be careful not to touch anything without asking since you don't know when certain posessions are sacred (a colleague once picked up a feather that her patient dropped and it was a big deal).

Editorial Team / Admin · Oct 4, 2005

First Nations = American Indian in Canada. The word "Indian" is not used to describe them as it's seen as somewhat old fashioned and carries some negative connotations (sort of like how Americans wouldn't call an African American patient a negro or coloured anymore).
Hermit, I think this really depends on what band your patient is from. There is so much diversity between different bands in Canada that it's very hard to generalize. A few general things I've found: Ask the family if there are any special cultural practices or beliefs which influence their views on health and their child's hospitalization, and be careful not to touch anything without asking since you don't know when certain posessions are sacred (a colleague once picked up a feather that her patient dropped and it was a big deal).

I have since researched some of this online. Thank you for the clarification, though. It sounds alot like my tribal concerns and the "taboo touch".