Decolonizing of the Nursing Academy

Given the history of colonialism, assimilation, and quality of life, and westernization of health care, many Canadian Indigenous1 students may not conform to conventional institutional norms within nursing education as the profession of nursing is based in a colonial system of values. The historical roots of nursing in North America can be found in a scientific treatment approach with the goal of maintaining the status quo of helping the individual to better fit into his/her environment (Huff, 2002) and therefore most solutions developed by institutions to address the lack of Indigenous student success are based on the presumption that something is lacking within the student. This perspective is inherently one imbedded in colonialistic assumptions that are founded on a victim blaming mentality.Indigenous students face numerous barriers upon leaving their communities and attending postsecondary institutions. Many Indigenous students are ill-prepared to succeed at university, resulting in graduation rates at post-secondary schools well below those of nonIndigenous peoples. Accessibility and affordability present difficulties, and throughout university the students often face racism and discrimination from peers, professors and administration. Altogether too frequently, these and other factors prove to be too great a barrier to overcome and result in students dropping out (Timmons, et al. 2009, p. 4).This paper explores the experiences of two nurse-educators as they support and promote Indigenous pedagogy and its underlying epistemology by utilizing Kirkness and Barnhardt's (1991) perspective of respect, relevance, and responsibility. These terms are used to reflect the deeper purpose of education as envisioned by Indigenous people and to propose actions that can and should be implemented to produce anti-oppressive outcomes in nursing education. From this perspective, Indigenous nursing students may benefit from a contextual learning model that respects them for who they are, that is relevant to their view of the world, that offers reciprocity in their relationships with others, and that helps them exercise responsibility over their own lives (Kirkness & Barnhardt, 1991. p. 1).ISSUES AFFECTING INDIGENOUS STUDENTS' COMPLETION OF NURSING EDUCATIONTwo nations of people (Western and Indigenous) make up a symbiotic and allied relationship in Canada. However, this relationship has been challenged by colonialistic actions and attitudes that are directed towards Indigenous people. These actions have been deliberate and calculated; and designed to displace and distance Indigenous people from their land, culture and resources and to maintain an obligatory relationship between the two nations.While socio-economic factors such as poverty and unemployment put them at an obvious disadvantage, Indigenous students also face more subtle barriers such as discrimination, low self concept and institutional insensitivity to Indigenous cultures (Council of Ministers of Education, Canada, 2002). Many Indigenous students arrive in post- secondary institutions without adequate high school preparation; others struggle to balance education with family responsibilities. Postsecondary educational programs have provided little in the way to minimize the effects of colonialism or to provide a hospitable environment to attract and retain Indigenous students. Combined with history of forced assimilation through educational institutions, the barriers to Indigenous participation in post-secondary education is formidable. (Malatest, 2004).The obliteration of Indigenous culture was one strategy in which to promote ongoing colonistic ideals in academia. Typical solutions that emanate from this blame-the-victim perspective are special counseling and advising centers, bridging and developmental programs, tutorials, and an array of additional student support services, all of which are intended to help problem students successfully partake of what the university has to offer. …

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