Feedback for Solstice: Anti-Racism Toolkit

“How does relationality influence culturally safe care?”

I feel that Solstice answered my question well and that it came through her own lens of how she strives to provide relational, culturally safe and respectful care. She spoke to it being one of the main driving factors to her Anti-Racism toolkit solution idea, and stressed the importance of relationality to culturally-safe nursing care. Solstice spoke to providing wholistic care and providing care in a way that acknowledges the patients past and experiences, while dealing with their current health in the moment-those are important aspects to relationality. Solstice spoke to building trusting relationships and discussed how racism experienced in the health setting can interfere with building those trusting relationships, I whole heartedly agree with that. Solstice also spoke to how vital self-reflection is in relation to relationality, and that being aware of our own biases and culture is important to the care that we provide as nurses.

I feel that this question can be answered differently based on if the person is answering from an Indigenous or a non-Indigenous point of view, I do not think that either is superior. I feel that it provides a safe space to acknowledge that we can approach culturally safe care from different lenses and still provide amazing nursing care, when we are equipped with tools such as the Anti-Racism toolkit. Relationality is an important value, and I feel that it is important that we take the time to learn about it and self-reflect on its importance to the care that we provide. Solstice provided her own explanation of relationality, and I appreciated her input of how it is important in culturally safe maternal care. Thank you Solstice.

The presentation of the topic and solution of Anti-Racism toolkit was well done. The slides were clean & organized, the slides had nice calming colours and beautiful artwork, and the team was knoweldgeable on the chosen topic and their specific solutions.

Solstice chose a great and relevant article to support her solution. I feel that it helped to support her settler lens on this topic of Indigenous Culturally-Safe Maternal Care. It was an interesting viewpoint in the article, that helped to argue that there is room for all different viewpoints in culturally safe care, as long as it is done respectfully, knowledgeably, and incorporating self-reflexivity. I feel that it encourages being curious and taking the time to learn from our patients.

The incorporation on the case study throughout the presentation was a great way to incorporate our learnings pertinent to each solution, that was a fantastic idea.

In terms of the Anti-Racism toolkit, I liked the visuals of the other similar toolkits that exist-which demonstrates that we would not have to re-invent the wheel.

The statistics used alongside the documents or policies (such as TRC Calls to Action, In Plain SIght, etc) strengthened the need for an Anti-Racism toolkit for Indigenous Lifegivers in Kamloops and the Interior Health Region.

I appreciated Solstice that you returned after the presentation to explain the slide that technology was not wanting to co-operate on; however, I did find myself wanting more information on what would be the contents or layout of the Toolkit.

I appreciated the mention of the documents and policies that were pertinent to the creation of the toolkit. I would have liked to have more time to look at the slide of the IH Anti-Racism policy, or at least more information on the pertinent components of it that may have led you to choose the creation of the Anti-Racism toolkit.

1. A suggestion for improvement on presentation of the solution relating to the layout, format, and explanation of the toolkit would be to have a visual example of what the toolkit could look like. It could be rough draft and doesn’t need to include all of the information. I feel that would help visual learners to help to understand the contents that you think would be relevant to an Anti- Racism Toolkit.
2. For future, I would slow down the slide that had the Anti-Racism policy (part of this may have been due to technology lagging) and point out (maybe even visually highlight) the relevant components that support the creation of the Anti-Racism Toolkit. You did speak later on to the policy and quote a component of the policy, but I found myself wanting more on the actual visual slide of it and wondering if it was a driving factor in you choosing the solution to the wicked problem that you chose.
3. Considering the article that you chose to support your solution, I would encourage you in the future to explain a bit further the role of Indigenous allies vs Indigenous people in the creation of an Anti-Racism toolkit. The article had a beautiful way of describing the need of both lenses and how they can weave together to strengthen patient care. Acknowledging our position and lens is important (which you did do), but using it to strengthen your solution would add depth. You bring a unique non-Indigenous lens to your group along side your two First Nations group members, but I could hear your heart and passion towards the topic Solstice. Find a way to incorporate it in such as quotes from the article (you did use some) or positioning yourself in your own self-reflection. Another way to incorporate it would maybe be to include a visual of the page of potential reflection questions that could be in the toolkit, as we are all going to bring our own unique viewpoints.

(I won’t acknowledge technology as an area of improvement, because that was such an extrinsic factor. That would not be providing feedback that you can use to strengthen your presentation of the topic, as it could happen to any of us. I find technology so frustrating sometimes and live where I often have to have my fingers crossed in hopes of enough bandwidth to present properly. You did a great job and I do not hold technology against you or your group.)