Development of an educational workshop for registered nurses to improve culturally safe end-of-life care for indigenous populations in NL

Background: When accessing healthcare services, Indigenous populations face significant systemic discrimination, racism, and mistreatment leading to Indigenous people’s hesitancy to access healthcare services delaying timely medical care (National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health, 2019; Statistics Canada, 2024). This delay in seeking healthcare further contributes to the poorer physical and mental health outcomes in Indigenous populations compared to non-Indigenous populations (Hahmann & Kumar, 2022; Nelson & Wilson, 2018; Oosterveer & Young, 2015; Pilarinos et al., 2023; Shahunja et al., 2024). To improve healthcare equity and optimal outcomes, culturally safe care must be prioritized. Purpose: To create an adaptable ACP for Indigenous clients in NL to foster cultural conversations and cultural integration in healthcare delivery. Methods: I conducted a literature review, consultations with Indigenous and healthcare leaders in NL, and an environmental scan across select Canadian government, healthcare, Indigenous, and university organizational websites. Results: There is a significant need for improved education for healthcare providers on the following topics: Indigenous culture, culturally safe care, ACP in general, and adapting ACP culturally. These results shifted my project, but the goal remained the same. I created a workshop for RNs to improve culturally safe end-of-life care delivery for Indigenous clients in NL.