Learning needs of nurses working in Canada's First Nations communities and hospitals

What are the learning needs of nurses providing services to Canada's First Nations Communities and Hospitals? First Nations (or Indian Band) are similar to communities except some comprise more than one geographic Native community. Aboriginal (or Native) individuals are members of the North American Indian, Inuit, or Métis peoples of Canada; those who reported being a Treaty or Registered Indian (with the Federal Government); or those who are members of an Indian Band/First Nation.

A Canada-wide survey was completed to determine the learning needs of nurses working with Canada's Aboriginal persons.

Nurses indicated both broad and specific aspects of their clinical practice, which were important to their continuing education (CE) needs. Broad thematic areas for continuing education included the following: emergency/acute care and obstetrics/gynecology clinical skills, health and physical assessment, mental health, and prenatal and postnatal care. Specific areas nurses cited for CE included issues related to: victims of violence; non-compliant clients; substance abuse; and fetal alcohol syndrome.

This study examined the learning needs of nurses working with Canada's Native people and provided a basis for comparing and contrasting CE issues of these nurses to other nurses working in remote locations around the world.