Nursing Students Receive Indigenous Achievement Awards

Annually the University of Saskatchewan (USask) celebrates Métis, First Nations and Inuit students during Indigenous Achievement Week. This year’s celebration was hosted remotely March 7^th - 11^th.
On Thursday, March 10^th, the Indigenous Student Achievement Awards brought together the USask community to honour students from across USask for their academic achievement, leadership, research, resiliency, and community engagement.

The College of Nursing is proud to announce we had three highly deserving students receive awards this year.

With only two practicums left to complete, Amanda has almost reached her goal of finishing her program and working in her community as a primary care nurse practitioner and nurse manager. She decided to pursue graduate nursing education in order to expand her practice within the William Charles Health Centre, with a goal of increasing the level of care and services available in her community.

The nurses and staff who currently work with Amanda describe her as a passionate and tireless caring advocate for her home community of Montreal Lake Cree Nation, with exceptional community engagement, organizational, and leadership skills. A few of her nursing accomplishments to date include the initiation of a NP led clinic within the William Charles Health Centre, running a successful infant and child immunization program, creation of an Elder’s wellness centre, the development of new programs for mental health, pediatric, women’s health, men’s health services and harm reduction, opening a detox centre for those struggling with addiction, and implementation and oversight of a successful ongoing pandemic response alongside the chief and council and other organizations in her community.

As a Graduate Teaching Fellow, Tina is supportive and wants everyone to succeed. She has come up with innovative and creative ideas for hybrid and online learning that have since been adapted in the undergraduate nursing program.

Tina’s final research project in the MN Professional Practice is unique and forward thinking. It explores the required competencies and learning outcomes required to prepare nurses to be leaders in artificial intelligence (AI) in nursing. She will complete a comprehensive literature search then summarize the findings, identify and organize into themes the educational requirements for undergraduate nursing students regarding AI in nursing, develop the learning outcomes to address the various themes, then disseminate the findings to serve as a framework for undergraduate nursing faculty to develop AI teaching plans.

Balancing school work, family life, coaching high school volleyball, and still trying to maintain a social life can’t be easy, but Jodie has shown outstanding dedication in her studies and has achieved exemplary academic and clinical performance throughout her program. She is proud to be a positive role model for her children, showing them that education is important and should always be a goal to strive for.

Jodie is committed to strengthening the capacity of the health care system, specifically for the delivery of health promotion services within an Indigenous context. She is respected as a leader by her peers and the community of La Ronge. Her compassionate nature is demonstrated through the application of principles of social justice and caring. Jodie has facilitated mental health working groups with community members and conducted presentations that support maternal and child wellness. She has participated in community events to promote understanding about how first-hand Indigenous health knowledge can help integrate Western and Indigenous perspectives into practical and meaningful health strategies. When Jodie becomes a registered nurse, she hopes to help the people she interacts with in incorporating mental health care as a part of a balanced, healthy lifestyle.

“I am proud of all our Indigenous nursing students’ success, but in particular Amanda, Tina and Jodie, who have received Indigenous Student Achievement Awards this year,” said College of Nursing dean Dr. Solina Richter. “Despite being in demanding nursing programs, they have excelled academically, are leaders in their communities, and have shown true commitment to improving health care in the province. Congratulations to each of you.”