Enhancing Indigenous Workforce in Healthcare: A Reflective Essay

This reflective essay explores the participation of Indigenous Australians in the health workforce, focusing on policies and frameworks aimed at enhancing their representation. The author reflects on group work experiences, highlighting the importance of cultural competence, respect, and teamwork in creating an inclusive healthcare environment. The essay discusses the NSW government's initiatives, such as the REM Framework, and emphasizes the need for healthcare leaders to be culturally competent. The author also reflects on the benefits of group work, including improved communication, diverse perspectives, and enhanced problem-solving skills. The essay concludes that promoting indigenous participation requires a commitment to cultural understanding and effective teamwork, ultimately leading to better healthcare outcomes.

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Indigenous People Participation in Health Workforce a Reflective Essay
Introduction
The following essay is my reflection on participation of Indigenous Australians in health
workforce. This will involve my reflection and group members’ response on enhancing
participation of First People of Australia in health care workforce as done in a group work. The
second section of the essay will involve reflecting on the group that I was part of when learning
about indigenous Australians and their participation in health care workforce. The reflection will
use Gibb’s model of refection to discuss what I learnt, felt, and how I am going to incorporate
what I have learnt in my professional practice.
The indigenous people of Australia form the minority population in Australia. The dominant
population (non-indigenous Australian) has in the past and continues to dominant the indigenous
people of Australia in term of culture, viewpoint, and opportunities. Indigenous people refer to
people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders tribes who occupied Australia before it was
colonized. The indigenous people have been subjected to colonization that adversely affected
their interactions with other dominant culture, perceptions, and willingness to work in health
organizations (Adams et al., 2016). The indigenous Australians became negative about the
mainstream health system that has led to few individuals pursuing careers in health. This under-
representation has led to the government and non government to strategize and improve
indigenous people ratio in the health workforce.
The group comprised members from my class. The group had 5 members who had different roles
that contributed to the success of the task. Generally, the members were cooperative, focused,
and willing to contribute. This enabled exploration of the topic and enhanced our understanding
of the underlying concepts and how they can be applied in professional practice.
Part A
The New South Wales Government (NSW) has a policy that seeks to enhance indigenous
Australians to participating in health care workforce. The NSW government proposes and

enforces policies that attract and recruit Aboriginal workforce. The NSW Health Good health-
Great Jobs: Aboriginal Workforce Strategic Framework 2016-2020 policy aim to support
Specialty Health Networks, Local health Districts and other Heath organizations in NSW in
growing and developing their Aboriginal workforce (Wong, et al., 2017). This policy aligns with
previous framework of Respecting the Difference: An Aboriginal Cultural Training framework
for NSW Health structure. The important principles to enhancing participation of Indigenous
people in the Australian health care is implementing Respecting, Engaging and Sharing, and
Moving Forward (REM) Principles. This REM Framework enables cultural understanding and
respect, recruiting and retaining of Aboriginal staff and developing of Aboriginal staff capacity
by health organizations (Power et al., 2016). This REM Framework will therefore result to
increased number of Indigenous employees in the health care organizations.
After undertaking the study, I felt a relief that is a framework to solve the disparity between
indigenous and Non-Indigenous health care workforce. I was nervous that there might be no
lasting solution or the government was not making any effort to attract, recruit, or retain
indigenous health professionals. The anxiety changed after learning about the REM Framework
and the policies that by the NSW government to increase number of Aboriginals workforce in
health organizations. In general, the group members were happy to know and establish that the
government policy of NSW Health Good Health- Great Jobs is effective and will enhance
indigenous people participation in the health care workforce.
I gained several concepts from the study on indigenous people in relation to health care
workforce. I was able to understand underlying principles to the policies that the government
was implementing of 1.8% of workforce being indigenous workforce in every health
organization (HealthInfoNet, 2016). I understood the concept of establishing or promoting
cultural understanding and respect among the indigenous communities. According to Certo
(2018), culturally sensitive organizations provide accommodating working environment that
encourage employees to retain their positions. Therefore the indigenous people can retain their
jobs in health care organization if they are culturally sensitive to them. The group members
acknowledged there is a difference in culture between indigenous and non-indigenous
Australians and that indigenous people culture should be respected. The group appreciated the
government efforts enhance Aboriginal health workforce in NSW.

The understanding and appreciation of need to respect, attract, and retain indigenous people with
their culture in the health care was a result of cultural competence. Brandler and Roman, (2015)
defined cultural competence as the ability of an individual to understand, and effectively
communicate and interact with individuals of a different culture. Blais et al., (2015) found that
healthcare staff cultural competence was correlated to cultural competence of their leaders. This
means that it important for nursing leader to be culturally competent in order to influence
healthcare staff to be culturally competence in their workplace. We became aware of our own
viewpoint and culture and developed a sense of positive attitude towards indigenous culture.
Therefore cultural competence increases an individual’s efficiency when working in a cross
cultural environment.
From the study on indigenous people and their participation in health care workforce, we gained
vast knowledge on policies regarding indigenous people participation in health care workforce.
We gained cultural competence skills that are important for working with people from difference
cultures. Lastly, we changed our attitude on cultural differences. As part of my professional
development and an international student, I will research more about different people’s culture
and create an accommodating workplace culture that retains indigenous health professional in the
healthcare center. Majority of group members expressed their commitment for further reading in
order to understand indigenous culture and be able to attract, recruit, and retain them in their
organizations.
Part B
The ability of an individual to work effectively in teamwork is an important skill for a student
and in professional practice. I participate in a group and the objective of the group was to
undertake a study o enhancing participation of indigenous Australians in the health care
workforce. The group was a team of five members. The group strength was cooperation and had
good communication. Certo, (2018) stated that group works develop students’ communication
and teamwork skills as students teach one another. Numminen et al., (2016) on another account
stated that group work encourage development of students’ critical thinking skills. Group work
also enables students to learn from one another and has higher achievement level as compared to
own studies (Kagan, 2015). The group main challenge was meeting time. Sometime it was
difficult to find favorable time for all members to meet.

It was enjoyable to participate in the group work. The team members were lively and objective. I
had an opportunity to learn from my colleagues. I was able to share my perspective while get a
different or familiar viewpoint from other members. I found it enjoyable to argue and
constructively critic my colleagues ideas. I preferred transformational style of leadership where
all members are included in the decision making of the group. Frankel, and PGCMS, (2018)
stated that participatory leadership is transformational and increases teams’ efficiency through
improved cooperation. I have always loved participatory style of leadership and it turned to be
my strength in the group work and I helped members contribute to the study. The general feeling
of the group was excitement because of the high level of engagement and learning within the
group. Members admitted that they were able to learn from one another enhancing ability to
exhaust the topic under study. One of the member preferred autocratic style of leadership where
the group leader solely coordinates and leads the group.
I was happy to have worked in the group. I got different viewpoints of the topic that we were
discussing. Whenever I made a point, the team members question it that made me to research
further and get their questions answered. The discussion group generated broad alternative
viewpoints about the topic that increased the depth of discussion. According to Corey, Corey,
and Corey, (2013), group work prevent stale viewpoint and promote shared viewpoints that help
in learning of new skills. They also recorded that creativity and detailed approach thrive in group
work. Therefore, group work enhanced our ability to detail a more comprehensive report. The
group members allowed one another adequate time to present his or her research or express
opinion. Most members preferred considering everyone views when making decisions regarding
the group work and meetings. The team was faced with challenge of agreeing on time for
meetings and floundering when working.
The group work was successful because of the shared objective between members. According to
Walumbwa, Hartnell, and Misati, (2017), a group work requires members to be united by shared
goal/ objective that keep the team members focused on what is important. The group gave every
member a chance to contribute on the topic. According to DuFour and DuFour (2013), group
work presents an opportunity that an individual can work with others that increase the
performance and productivity. They noted that group work produce quality work as compared to
individuals working on their own. This means that group work has more capacity to deliver high

performance and productivity. Kagan, (2015), stated that a group work produce many ideas that
increase the depth of discussion and each member understanding of the issue under discussion.
Good communication saved time as dispute or disagreements were amicably settled. Regan,
Laschinger, and Wong (2016) recorded that the success and group is determined by its ability to
settle disputes and maintain an enabling environment for each member to participate.
Working in a group is better than working alone. Group work enables sharing of ideas and
viewpoint that enhance deeper understanding of an issue among members (Brown, 2017).
Members worked as a team and as complementary to one another through intra teaching and
learning. Leadership decisions made and implemented by all group members were more
effective and enhanced cooperation. This shows that participatory leadership style was effective
in meeting the goal objectives.
My involvement in the group work has enhanced my teamwork skills and changed my attitude
towards group work. Group work has higher achievement/ performance as compared to
individual performance. In terms of understanding an issue, group work enables members to get
a deeper understanding. In my professional practice, I will encourage practitioners to work as a
team to enhance a healthcare performance in delivering quality health care. The group members
showed commitment to applying group work in their future career to enhance their leadership
performance.
Conclusion
From the reflection essay, I gained knowledge on policies that promote indigenous people
participation in health workforce and enhanced by cultural competence skills. It was enjoyable
working in a group and learning from one another that enabled deeper understanding of the topic
under study. I was able to learn the importance of respecting difference in cultures, engaging
indigenous people culture to attract, recruit, and retain them in health care organizations as a
leader. Group work enhances communication and leadership skills that are important in
professional practice. The group was cooperative and effective in communication that enhanced
its performance. The group had a challenge of fixing favorable time for everyone that caused
delay. I therefore conclude that group work is an important tool in analyzing issues and can be
used to understand contemporary issues in health for effective leadership in health organizations.

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