UBCO School of Nursing faculty Rishma Chooniedass, Nelly Oelke and Dennis Jasper, far right, celebrate Schynel Howe and Sheila Marentette, both centre, as they complete the Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Stream in the Master of Science in Nursing program.
Two years ago, UBC Okanagan launched a unique pathway to support Indigenous nurses with a new Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Concentration.
The Master of Science in Nursing Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Pathway has clear goals, explains Dr. Kathy Rush, Graduate Program Coordinator in UBC Okanagan's School of Nursing . It aims to address racism in health care, support Indigenous nurses and those working with Indigenous peoples, organizations and agencies, and bring Indigenous knowledge into mainstream nursing education and practice.
"Nurses are often seen as the backbone of the health-care system because they make a difference at every level," says Dr. Rush. "Indigenous nurses are especially critical-transitioning between patient care and policy, and working with communities to support mental wellness, promote health and prevent illness."
To complete this pathway in the Master of Nursing program, students must complete 12 credit hours of related Indigenous Wellness Concentration coursework and either a thesis or capstone project, as well as finish 18 additional course credits.
The initiative is offered at UBC's two campuses, Thompson Rivers University, the University of Victoria and Trinity Western University. Before it launched, a home circle consisting of Elders, Knowledge Keepers, nurses and UBCO students, faculty and staff was established to help create essential sections of the concentration.
"The home circle focused on the needs of our community, and we are grateful for the wisdom and knowledge that guided us in developing this program," explains Dr. Rush. "The success of this program is theirs, along with our students."
And just recently, the Okanagan campus celebrated the province's first two graduates to complete the pathway.
Sheila Marentette was working with the First Nations Health Authority when she learned about the new concentration. Even though she questioned whether she could return to university after an established nursing career, she applied and was thrilled to be accepted.
"I was working with communities across BC to explore how health and wellness services could be redesigned to honour Indigenous values, culture and strengths," she says. "It was incredibly meaningful work that deepened my understanding of relational care, but I wanted a more formal way to build on that knowledge. This course came at exactly the right time."
At the same time, Marentette was reconnecting with her family roots. While she had a Métis card as a young adult, she only recently began to explore what that truly meant. She also learned her memère was Cree-Métis, and her husband is Huron-Algonquin.
"This course felt like an invitation to walk more deeply into both my personal and professional path. But it isn't just about learning-it was also about unlearning, reconnecting and remembering," she adds. "I gained a deeper understanding of Indigenous approaches to research and care, and a clearer sense of who I am, where I come from, and what kind of nursing leadership I want to embody."
Schynel Howe also completed the program this year., She was working as a home-care nurse in an Indigenous community when she started classes at UBCO. Although she had already begun her master's program, she was invited to take a pilot course for the new concentration and knew it was the right fit at the right time.
"I had already wanted to focus on an Indigenous topic, so this pathway made sense to me," she says. "I found the courses impactful and transformative, and I wanted to continue learning more. This was the perfect opportunity."
When the program was introduced in 2023, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research contributed almost $700,000 to support its development and UBC's Indigenous Strategic Initiatives Fund provided $99,900 to establish the Okanagan Home Circle as part of the provincial collective.
"There is no other collaboration or program like this in Canada," says Dr. Rush. "The goal is to increase the number of Indigenous nurses, improve Indigenous health, and support students, faculty and nurses in learning about anti-racism and health equity through respectful long-term collaboration."
While both Howe and Marentette have finished the program, they won't officially cross the stage until next spring's graduation. Howe now works in the field of mental health and substance use, using what she learned in the program in her daily work.
Marentette says the program was one of the most enlightening experiences she's had.
"This pathway is a gift. It is an approach to health and healing with humility, curiosity and heart. And it challenges you in the best ways," she says. "It's also a step towards reconciliation that acknowledges the wisdom and ways of the first people of this land. The strength of the program lies not only in its academic content, but in its ability to shift how you see the world, your work and yourself."
