Paddling Together for Culturally Safe Emergency Care for Elders

Abstract

This paper describes a wise practice for collaborative change through the Trauma- Informed and Culturally Safe Emergency Care for Nuu-chah-nulth Elders project. For decades, Nuu-chah-nulth Elders have been avoiding emergency care due to colonial trauma and a lack of culturally safe care. To begin addressing this community priority, the First Nations Health Authority, in partnership with Island Health and university partners, organized a two-day workshop in September 2017 with Nuu-chah-nulth Elders, community members, and health partners. Key to ensuring the process was culturally sensitive was following the guidance of the West Coast General Hospital Cultural Safety Committee, a partnership between Nuu-chah-nulth people and health providers. Respect and trust were developed by centring the voices of Elders and giving them a safe space for discussion before developing recommendations with health partners. Feedback from participants was gathered from notes and audio recordings and thematically analyzed into eight major recommendations (i.e., increase engagement and relationship building; develop action plans; increase education and awareness; increase advocacy and support; incorporate First Nations medicine, healing, and foods; provide culturally safe spaces; develop policy and protocol; and link to comprehensive community support), with attention to preserving Elder voices. The recommendations were validated by returning and new participants at a gathering in June 2019. Elders noted that while experiences of unsafe care continue, noticeable improvements in cultural safety are being made and they feel heard.