Reflection on Indigenous Health and Wellbeing for Nurses

This report is a guided reflection on the student's journey in understanding contemporary Indigenous health and wellbeing, focusing on the Gibbs reflective cycle. The student initially held misconceptions that were challenged through interactions, particularly with an Aboriginal woman on a train. The reflection details changes in attitudes, beliefs, and values concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, emphasizing the importance of cultural safety in healthcare. The student reflects on experiences in yarning circles and debates, analyzing their own communication skills and the need for culturally sensitive interactions. The report also discusses the impact of learning activities on future nursing practice, highlighting the importance of evidence-based knowledge, respect for cultural practices, and the provision of patient-centered care. The student outlines a commitment to providing culturally safe healthcare, implementing ethical guidelines, and improving communication to better serve Indigenous communities. The report concludes by emphasizing the significance of cultural safety and respect in healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, advocating for a new approach to improve health outcomes and promote effective communication.

Contemporary indigenous health and wellbeing
Introduction
This assessment is the guided refection which assists the nurse to examine their perception,
attitudes and believes towards the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The change in
attitude, perception, and belief after interaction is presented with an example.
During my first visit to Australia, I had misconceptions and wrong beliefs that are totally
controversial. My attitude and belief about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
have changed after I met the woman on the train. She was like an angel helped me in my
need. She also shared her seat to me to relax. She was easily approachable and kind. She was
concerned about me and asked whether it is paining. Her behavior and helping tendency
changed my attitude. That incidence inspired me to gain more information and knowledge
about the early inhabitants of the country. Another good reason for the change in the belief and
value belief in interacting with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is because I wrote
the initial reflection in the assessment.
Yarning circle is the specific practice commonly practiced among the indigenous people. I am very
much inspired by the cultural believes of the indigenous people. They have a typical culture which is
ultimately different from any other culture in the country. I and my friends wanted to join the yarning
circle which is the right occasion to gain more information about the ingenious people. We joined in
the yarning circle and discussion started. I asked them about the cooking methodologies in their
community. When we begin the discussion I thought the cooking techniques of the indigenous
community will not be healthy and tasty (Bainbridge 2015). As I wanted to gain more information
about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, I was raising more questions about the
cooking and the food preservation techniques (Murray 2019). They said that they used to
bake or burn the meat in flame and they still use some of the cooking techniques like baking

in the ashes, steaming in the underground oven and use hot coals to cook the meat (Murray
2019).
One girl in the group said that they still use the ancient cooking techniques. She shared some of the
cooking methods. Most of the information was new to me. They are not much interested to share the
details, as all the cooking methods are beliefs; they thought that I might not be much interested to hear
about that. So few questions asked by me was ignored. I thought that I should have approached in a
different way (Bainbridge 2015). One of my friends raised a question about the common health
challenges they face every day. She has more experience in communicating with the indigenous
people. So she used proper terminologies that don’t hurt their cultural beliefs. That was a very good
experience for me. I learned to raise questions with the right sense and careful handling of situations. I
need to gain more information about the culture and believes of the indigenous people to
communicate with them (Bainbridge 2015).
Discussion on the organization of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people was also
happened in the yarning circle. I, my friends and a few friends from the indigenous people are
involved in the discussion. I wanted to gain more information about the indigenous people
and also the organization that supports the community (Thomas 2017).I was happy to be in
the discussion (Murray 2019). All the other friends involved in the discussion were also
happy to gain information about the early inhabitants of the country. It was a very good
experience for me and my friends too. The discussion was about the organizations of
indigenous people. Some of my friends were not much interested to discuss the indigenous
people. The discussion did not cover all the information. Discussion supported by the
academic literature was more informative (Rooyen 2018).
Discussion on the organization of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people improved my
understanding of the indigenous people of the country. I gained more information about the
organizations that support the early inhabitants of the country (Taylor 2019). The discussion

was clear and concise, supported with the evidence which is the positive situation that
benefits all of us. I need to gain basic knowledge about the indigenous people of the country
for a better understanding of the discussion on the organization (Murray 2019). This is the
new experience for me and I am unaware of handling the discussion before and how to gain
more information that is evidence-based (Moores 2017). I will learn and gain more
information using various sources like E-Books, online sources, and reliable magazines. I
will also communicate with my friends and make a discussion to share the knowledge
(Moores 2017). This discussion on the organization was a good experience for me but for
next time I will prepare myself to discuss any topic that is related to Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people.
The debate is the best tool to share the information and it also improves the research skills. It
was the debate on the cultural believes of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in
the Yarning circle. Some of them from the indigenous community and some from other community
participated. In the debate, all the participants will get the opportunity to raise the question and also to
answer (Walker 2019). I was excited to take part in the debate because it was my first attempt. Since
the debate is about the cultural beliefs of the indigenous people, we wanted the communication in the
debate to be culturally safe and respectful (Rooyen 2018).Actually, I wanted the debate to be more
informative and discussion need to be done based on the recent literature review (Moores 2017). I
was eagerly waiting for the debate to be started.
And the debate started all of us were asking many questions and some were answered and some were
not answered (Moores 2017). I am not much satisfied with the debate because a few questions
raised by my friends were not culturally safe and respectful. Some of them are happy about the debate
and few are unhappy and unsatisfied (Murray 2019). Debate experience was not good because some
of them did not ask the questions that are culturally safe and respectful. Few questions asked by the
participants upset the people from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (Rooyen

2018). I and my friends to manage the situation but the issue were sensitive and we were
unable to control the situation. This situation was bad but I learn to handle sensitive issues
and use communication skill that is culturally safe and respectful (Rooyen 2018). The
participants involved in the debate should have prepared the questions and should have
confirmed that the questions are culturally safe (Taylor 2019).Personally, I need to develop
effective communication skills, gain information that is evidence-based to prevent hurtful
situations.
My previous experiences with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the
subject learning would improve my understanding and knowledge about the early inhabitants
of the country (National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards 2017). Cultural safety
and respect is the primary need of the indigenous people (Bainbridge 2015). So I will gain
more information about the culture and believes of the indigenous people through various
means like E-books, online sources, and magazines. I will also connect with my friends to
know more about the community. As a nurse, I will respect the cultural beliefs of the
community (Rooyen 2018). I will do the evidence-based literature review to gain more
information that is reliable and implement in the nursing practice (Smith 2016).National
Safety and Quality Health Service Standards guideline for nurses about Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people state that the nurse needs to provide patient centered and family
centered care (Taylor 2019). I will ensure that safe and quality health care is provided to the
indigenous people (Bainbridge 2015).
I will implement the code of ethics in the nursing care of indigenous people. I will treat the
entire patient’s equally regardless of race, community, culture, beliefs, and religion. As a
Registered nurse, I will ensure culturally safe care is provided (Bainbridge 2015). I will make
the clinical decisions that are culturally safe. I will honour and respect the cultural practices
that are connected with the health of the person (Rooyen 2018). I ensure that the women

from the indigenous community receive medical care and I will ensure to reach them and
proved medical care in their place (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patient care
guidelines 2014). I will use appropriate language to the patient from indigenous community
and build trust and rapport to encourage the patient. (Bainbridge 2015).I will use effective
communication skills to make the patient understand and use both verbal and non-verbal
communication for better understanding. I will educate the patient’s from the indigenous
community about basic health care and preventive measure (Taylor 2019). I will arrange the
help desk for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to help them to get holistic
medical care.
Conclusion
This assessment helped me to understand the importance of cultural safety and respect for the
Aboriginal people in health care. The early inhabitants of the country lack health care due to cultural
incompetency and in secured feeling. New dimensional approach on the health care of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people will improve the health of the community in the country.
Effective communication is also an essential tool to connect with indigenous people.
Culturally safe and respectful has to be assured for the early inhabitants of the country. This
assessment improved understanding and knowledge about the indigenous people of the country.
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