Indigenous Nurses Day Advances Health Care in Essential Reconciliation

April 10 is Indigenous Nurses Day. This day celebrates the contributions, resilience and leadership of Indigenous nurses who have improved health care by helping to address inequities experienced by Indigenous patients, fostering culturally safe spaces, and dismantling systemic barriers to help ensure Indigenous peoples feel seen and heard with respect and understanding.

This day is an opportunity to reflect on the racism and discrimination Indigenous nurses face in the health-care system. The 2020 provincial report In Plain Sight: Addressing Indigenous-Specific Racism and Discrimination in BC Health Care underscores the urgent need for systemic change, emphasizing the importance of increasing Indigenous representation in health care as Indigenous nurses are uniquely positioned to drive positive change.

The day is also a call to action to support Indigenous nursing students, increase Indigenous representation in the nursing profession and advance meaningful reconciliation in health care.

Supporting Indigenous Student Nurse Education

The BCNU Indigenous Student Nurse Education Bursary (ISNEB) aligns with the union’s commitment to reconciliation and responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s call to increase the number of Indigenous professionals in health care.

This $1,500 award is open to Indigenous student members including employed student nurses who may apply by April 15, 2025.

The ISNEB is inspired by Indigenous nurse leaders. Each year, the BCNU Indigenous Leadership Circle (ILC) dedicates an individual in whose name the bursary is being awarded. For 2025, the ILC is delighted to name Lily Ned, a founding ILC member and respected nurse leader from the Upper Nicola Band.

Last year, the ILC established the BCNU’s Indigenous Member Bursary, which is open to Indigenous BCNU members, internationally educated nurse (IEN) associate members and student members, including employed student nurses. Learn more and apply by April 15, 2025.

We are also pleased to share that the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) is now offering a $1,000 student scholarship to a nursing student who identifies as Indigenous. Candidates for this award will be selected from eligible applicants for BCNU's ISNEB. More information on how to apply will be made available at bcnu.org. 

Gathering Our Voices Conference

Last month, ILC members participated in the annual Gathering Our Voices (GOV) conference in Kamloops that saw Indigenous youth from across the country attend educational workshops, participate in cultural ceremonies, and receive guidance and motivation from prominent Indigenous speakers. ILC chair Sherry Ridsdale awarded an iPad to an Indigenous student to support their education and reaffirm BCNU’s commitment to fostering the next generation of leaders like Lily Ned.

Advancing Indigenous Representation in Health Care

BCNU acknowledges the importance of increasing Indigenous representation in nursing and providing culturally safe and equitable care to Indigenous patients. All members can help advance these goals by:

• Supporting Indigenous nursing students through sharing information about bursaries, mentorship programs and community supports that are available.
• Advocating for systemic changes to eliminate Indigenous-specific racism and discrimination in health care.
• Promoting inclusive and culturally safe workplaces where Indigenous nurses can thrive.
• Recognizing and celebrating Indigenous nurse leaders like Lily Ned whose leadership inspires, and we are reminded to continue supporting Indigenous nursing students, advocating for change, and working towards reconciliation in health care.

Significance of Indigenous Nurses Day

The date of April 10 was chosen in honour of Charlotte Edith Anderson Monture, Canada’s first Indigenous nurse, who was born on April 10, 1890. Because of racist policies at the time barring Indigenous people from studying nursing in Canada, Monture attended nursing school in New York, graduating in 1914 at the top of her class.