Yatdjuligin : Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nursing and midwifery care

Yatdjuligin: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nursing and Midwifery Care introduces students to the fundamentals of the healthcare of Indigenous Australians, from the perspective of both the patient and the professional. Aboriginal Elder Ivy Molly Booth gifted the word Yatdjuligin to the authors to use as the title of this textbook. The word Yatdjuligin literally translates to 'talking in a good way'. For Wakgun people the process of Yatdjuligin is deeply embedded in learning. Written by a team of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nursing and midwifery academics, and practising nurses, this book is designed for both non-Indigenous and Indigenous nurses, who will work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. The book includes chapters on the history of health service provision for Australian Indigenous people, gender, midwifery, community-controlled health services, remote area nursing, mental health and caring for Indigenous Elders, and features case studies and critical thinking questions

Indigenous Australian women and work : an historical context

The aim of this on-going research is to interrogate the era of colonialism in Australia (1896-1966) and the denial of paid employment of Aboriginal women. The 1897 Aborigines Protection and the Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act witnessed thousands of Aboriginal people placed on Government run reserves and missions. This resulted in all aspects of their lives being controlled through state mechanisms. Under various Acts of Parliament, Aboriginal women were sent to privately owned properties to be utilised as ‘domestic servants’ through a system of forced indentured labour, which continued until the 1970’s.This paper discusses the hidden histories of these women through the use of primary sources documents including records from the Australian Department of Native Affairs and Department of Home and Health. This social history research reveals that the practice of removing Aboriginal women from their families at the age of 12 or 13 and to white families was more common practice than not. These women were often: not paid, worked up to 15 hour days, not allowed leave and subjected to many forms of abuse. Wages that were meant to be paid were re-directed to other others, including the Government. Whilst the retrieval of these ‘stolen wages’ is now an on-going issue resulting in the Queensland Government in 2002 offering AUS $2,000 to$4,000 in compensation for a lifetime of work, Aboriginal women were also asked to waive their legal right to further compensation. There are few documented histories of these Aboriginal women as told through the archives. This hidden Aboriginal Australian women’s history needs to be revealed to better understand the experiences and depth of misappropriation of Aboriginal women as domestic workers. In doing so, it also reveals a more accurate reflection of women’s work in Australia

Reclaiming the spaces of teaching and learning : decolonising nurse/midwifery education in Australia

This presentation focuses on the reclaiming of the space of teaching and learning: Decolonising Nurse/Midwifery Education in Australia. It provides an overview of the need for and the development of the book 'Yatdjuligin: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nursing and Midwifery care'. It highlights the specific elements that assisted in informing the developmental process and bringing the book to fruition

Community controlled health services : what they are and how they work

This chapter provides an overview of the role of community controlled health services and health sector and the role of the nurs

Indigenous gendered health perspectives

This chapter provides an overview of the gendered realities of Indigenous men's and Indigenous women's lives and gendered Indigenous health perspectives. It offers the nurse some examples of the role of the nurse in working within gendered Indigenous health care

Commentary: "Our reflections on identity, gender and transforming action" : a lesson from place

This paper explores the cultural interplay between Indigenous women from one geographic locality being on and within the locality of the women of another locality – in this case, Whakatāne, Aotearoa. The authors consider identity, gender and place within the processes of transformation and decolonisation. They argue that women need to be involved in ways that restore their power as women and ensure their rightful place. The authors draw on the female ancestor Wairaka and her courage to argue that Indigenous women need to respond, change and adapt to the places in which they live. They argue that decolonisation needs to include action and possibilities for Māori and Indigenous Australian women

A unified call to action from Australian nursing and midwifery leaders: Ensuring that Black lives matter

Nurses and midwives of Australia now is the time for change! As powerfully placed, Indigenous and non-Indigenous nursing and midwifery professionals, together we can ensure an effective and robust Indigenous curriculum in our nursing and midwifery schools of education. Today, Australia finds itself in a shifting tide of social change, where the voices for better and safer health care ring out loud. Voices for justice, equity and equality reverberate across our cities, our streets, homes, and institutions of learning. It is a call for new songlines of reform. The need to embed meaningful Indigenous health curricula is stronger now than it ever was for Australian nursing and midwifery. It is essential that nursing and midwifery leadership continue to build an authentic collaborative environment for Indigenous curriculum development. Bipartisan alliance is imperative for all academic staff to be confident in their teaching and learning experiences with Indigenous health syllabus. This paper is a call out. Now is the time for Indigenous and non-Indigenous nurses and midwives to make a stand together, for justice and equity in our teaching, learning, and practice. Together we will dismantle systems, policy, and practices in health that oppress. The Black Lives Matter movement provides us with a ‘now window’ of accepted dialogue to build a better, culturally safe Australian nursing and midwifery workforce, ensuring that Black Lives Matter in all aspects of health care