Evaluation of the Aboriginal Relationship and Cultural Competency Courses among a sample of Indigenous Services Canada nurses

Abstract

In 2015, Cancer Care Ontario launched the Aboriginal Relationship and Cultural Competency (ARCC) courses, which stress the importance for healthcare professionals to understand and apply First Nations, Inuit, and Métis (FNIM) cultural safety to provide effective person-centred care. The courses address a key recommendation from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada report, to provide skills-based training in cultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights and anti-racism. The objective of the evaluation is to validate the tool to assess: if the delivery mechanism is appropriate and feasible; if participants acquire an increased knowledge of the courses' contents; and if positive change in how healthcare practice is delivered is perceived to have resulted. After the ARCC courses were mandated for Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) nurses, an anonymous survey was delivered and a focus group was conducted at a regional meeting. The responses from the surveys were gathered in an excel spreadsheet for analyses and the focus group data were analyzed for key themes. All the nurses in attendance completed the survey (n=22) and a portion participated in the focus group (n=8). Our evaluation demonstrated that free, online, module formatted courses were appropriate and relevant for ISC nurses (81%); the courses increased the knowledge about FNIM people (72%); and the nurses have/will apply what they learned in their practice (82%). There has been an increasing movement for regions and organizations in Canada to complete cultural competency training. Our evaluation demonstrated that free, online, module formatted courses were successful at meeting learning objectives.