...Copyright © eContent Management Pty Ltd. Contemporary Nurse (2007) 24: 33–44. Telling stories: Nurses, politics and Aboriginal Australians, circa 1900–1980s ABSTRACT The focus of this paper is stories by, and about (mainly non-Aboriginal) Registered Nurses working in hospitals and clinics in remote areas of Australia from the early 1900s to the 1980s as they came into contact with, or cared for, Aboriginal people. Government policies that controlled and regulated Aboriginal Australians provide the context for these stories. Memoirs and other contemporary sources reveal the ways in which government policies in different eras influenced nurse’s attitudes and clinical practice in relation to Aboriginal people, and helped institutionalise racism in health care. Up until the 1970s, most nurses in this study unquestioningly accepted firstly segregation, then assimilation policies and their underlying paternalistic ideologies, and incorporated them into their practice. The quite marked politicisation of Aboriginal issues in the 1970s in Australia and the move towards selfdetermination for Aboriginal people politicised many – but not all – nurses. For the first time, many nurses engaged in a robust critique of government policies and what this meant for their practice and for Aboriginal health. Other nurses, however, continued as they had before – neither questioning prevailing policy nor its effects on their practice. It is argued that only by understanding and confronting the...
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...These six Aboriginal Rns would have two major issues to begin their new career. One initial problem would be there being ex-students and new to the professional field of nursing. Being ex-students’ becomes quite an issue for new RNs. Acceptance by more experienced staff in the field, still treated as students and not fully accepted as RNs. These newly qualified RNs have to prove themselves to other staff. A difficult burden to carry when attempting to learn the new system, get to know different staff as well as give an efficient and effective nursing service to patients. This occurs when they are acknowledged, their demonstrated skills, education, training and form professional relationships. Raises another issue in our study as the new RNs are of local Aboriginal network and culture, working in a Western based medical system. We are informed that the Indigenous groups were pleased with the concept of nursing being given by same culture nurses, in fact they were asked for rather than the non Indigenous patients. This of course would give some positive feedback and acceptance for the new RNs. It is likely that some non Indigenous staff would not appreciate this, it causing some envy and further thoughts and treatment of the Aboriginal groups as ‘other’ holding consequences for them. Whilst others may appreciate knowledge of the local indigenous population. Such non acceptance demonstrates that although they have joined the system they are officially ‘in’ they have not been accepted...
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...means to have ‘good health.’ One community group whose culture strongly impacts on individual’s perception of illness and health is the Australian Aboriginal community. Aboriginal Australians have a shorter life expectancy than others (ABS 2008, Shaouli et al 2011) which threatens Aboriginal culture as ‘elders’are the transmitters of Aboriginal culture. Aboriginal people experience worse health and more disease with the latter being three times more than that for the total Australian population (NATSIS 2008 cited by ABS 2008). Culture is one of the many social determinants of health and affects health (Carson, Dunbar, Chenhall and Bailie, 2007). Some indigenous people are fatalistic about their health (Thackrah and Scott 2011) although most can access medical help when needed providing they trusted their medical practitioners (ABS 2008, DATSIPD 2009). Other obstacles include language, lack of public transport and telecommunications (Shaouli et al 2011). Therefore, the impact of culture on individuals’ health is crucial to investigate as Aboriginal culture impacts strongly on individuals’ health in the areas of remedies, causation and readiness to seek help when needed. However, before, one explores these issues they must first define what ‘health’ means to indigenous people from a cultural perspective. | Firstly, Aboriginal culture impacts strongly on individuals’ perception of health. According to...
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...Code of Ethics for Nurses in Australia Developed under the auspices of Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council, Australian College of Nursing, Australian Nursing Federation Introduction This Code of Ethics for Nurses in Australia has been developed for the nursing profession in Australia. It is relevant to all nurses at all levels and areas of practice including those encompassing clinical, management,education and research 1 domains. This Code is framed by the principles and standards set forth in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; the World Health Organization’s Constitution and publication series entitled Health and Human Rights; and the United Nations Development Programme Human Development Report 2 2004: Cultural liberty in today’s diverse world. In considering this Code and its companion, the Code of Professional Conduct for Nurses in Australia, it should be borne in mind that they are designed for multiple audiences: nurses; nursing students; people requiring or receiving nursing care; the community generally; employers of nurses; nursing regulatory authorities; and consumer protection agencies. It is also noteworthy that the concepts of ‘ethics’ and ‘morality’ are substantially the same and have been used interchangeably throughout this Code. This Code outlines the nursing profession’s commitment to respect, promote, protect...
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...Industry Division and Teaching Team | Community Services and Health Nursing | Student Name | Binta Bah | Student No. | 4101568315 | Teacher | Amanda Holborow | Semester/Year | | Program Name and Code | HLT51612 Diploma of Nursing | Unit Name and Code | HLTHIR403C / HLTHIR404D ATSI & Cultural Diversity | Assessment (AS) No. Description and Version | One | INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES: Short and Long Answer Questions Please type your responses to the following questions into a word document and upload via the Assessment Task 1 folder located under ASSESS in the online HLTHIR403C / HLTHIR404D unit on my.tafe A minimum of 150 words is required for each response Please note: this word minimum also applies if there is more than one answer required for the question. For example, Question 1: a. minimum 100 words b. minimum 100 words Please use APA referencing to acknowledge your sources of information: APA Referencing Guide (located under ‘Tools’ in the HLTHIR403C_HLTHIR404D unit on my.tafe). Question 1 Using the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data answer the following questions: a. Using current statistical information, discuss the inequality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous mortality rates in Australia b. Discuss the factors that influence Indigenous mortality. Include the following in your discussion: * social determinants that impact on Indigenous health * historical and cultural influences such as...
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...difficult to disagree that for one of the smaller representing populations in Australia, Indigenous Australians are at disadvantage in many areas. Areas ranging from employment, housing, justice and education among many more. There have been innumerable efforts at overcoming the disadvantages Aboriginal people have to face. For the purposes of this Essay, literature will be discussed in addressing the social inequality and disadvantage of indigenous people in relation to refining the gap in life expectancy (as a social-economic indicator) and what essential elements need to be considered for the process to work successfully. There are contending ideas in relevant literature as to what is the cause for the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians, which also gives dissimilar arguments as to how to address the issue, with one side taking a view of longevity and the other a holistic method. It is argued that Indigenous Australians health inequalities could be narrowed with the improvement of the differences in health service access, provision and use. As the inabilities gain adequate health care due to, distance, cultural and availability barriers, thus leading to indigenous health problems being constant and prolonged (Healey 2002). However Eades of the of the Indigenous health research unit (2000, p.468) argues ‘that a complete tactic to improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders involves understanding the close relationships between...
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...non-Indigenous mortality rates in Australia Whilst the overall health of Australians is amongst the top third of Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2010) here is a clear disparity between Indigenous and non-indigenous health when one considers that even in this day and age of modern medicine, Indigenous Australians are expected to live twelve years less than their non-indigenous counterparts for males, and ten years less for females (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2010) Despite significant improvements over the past decade Aboriginal infant mortality is still approximately three times that of non-Aborigines. For ATSI, the reduced overall impact of the communicable diseases has been balanced by a worsening of the "lifestyle" diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease and diabetes which are the biggest single killers of Indigenous peoples and an area where the Indigenous and non-Indigenous health equality gap is most apparent. (Australian Bureau of Statistics,2013) Where in 2012, death in coronary heart disease was number one; Indigenous:non-Indigenous rate ratios was 2:1,and second leading disease was diabetes was 7:0. The third leading cause of death was suicide for Indigenous males and chronic lower respiratory diseases for Indigenous females.(AGDHA,2013) These ratio’s are evident of huge inequality between indigenous and non-indigenous mortality rates in Australia. Also between 2001 and 2012...
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...UNDERSTANDING SELF AND SOCIETY: CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVES Module 1: Why is Human Dignity important ? What is Human dignity ? "dignity: the quality of being worthy or honourable; worthiness, worth, nobleness, excellence. Latin dignitāt-em merit, worth" Oxford English Dictionary The focus of UNCC100 is on the theme of the common good: how we think about what is needed in order for all people to flourish in society. UNCC300 shifts this focus from the social to the individual, although of course, we can never think about the individual without reference to the broader context of society. In this unit, we are going to consider what it means to be a human being, and more particularly, how we can understand the notion of human worth, or value. This is what we are referring to when we talk about human dignity. Activity 1 Complete some research on Rosa Parks . 1. Who was she? 2. What impact did Rosa Parks have on the US Civil Rights movement? 3. What impact do you think Rosa Parks has had on our understanding of human dignity today? 4. There have been numerous songs written about Rosa Parks. The Neville Brothers recorded “Sister Rosa” in 1989. Click the link to hear the song and follow the lyrics. http://pancocojams.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/two-songs-about-rosa-parks-lyrics.html Human dignity is probably a very familiar expression, because the concept is part of many conversations taking place in the contemporary world. At the same time, once we begin...
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...Page 1 The World Health Organisation (World Health Organisation, 2008) states that the indigenous peoples of Australia are one of the most disadvantaged indigenous groups in the developed world. The health of the Indigenous population of Australia is an increasingly pressing issue. Current research and statistics reveals great inequality in many areas of health care and health status between the Aboriginal people and the general population of Australia. Couzos and Murray (2008, p. 29) report that the Indigenous population has “the worst health status of any identifiable group in Australia, and the poorest access to health systems.” This paper will examine the underlying historical contexts and contributing factors that have lead to the current disparity between the health of the Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians. Furthermore, the high prevalence of chronic health issues such as diabetes will be analysed and community health initiatives that are needed or currently being enacted will be identified. Many reasons for the current appalling state of health and wellbeing of the Australian Aboriginal people can be explained by examining their recent history to the devastating impacts of colonisation, genocidal policy, loss of land and years of oppression. These several hundred years of cultural destruction, dispossession and social and political upheaval have resulted in generations of trauma and grief (Burke, 2006, para. 4). As reported by Forsyth (2007, p. 35-36)...
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...Hello Ms Shaw and fellow students today I am talking about the events of Cathy Freeman’s life that made her famous. Cathy was born in the Queensland town of Mackay on the 16th of February 1973. She is the daughter of Norman and Cecelia Freeman and had 3 brothers and an older sister named Anne-Marie who died of cerebral palsy in 1990. Cathy Freeman took up athletics at the age of 2 years old and was coached by her step-father. Cathy exploded onto the athletics scene at an early age winning her first gold medal at the age of 16 at the Auckland commonwealth games in 1990 in the 4x100 m relay event. She was the first Aboriginal to win a gold medal at the commonwealth games as well as one of the youngest. At this time Nelson Mandela had walked to freedom after being released from jail. She went on to the world junior championships that same year in Bulgaria and came 5th...
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...professionals. The essay will begin by discussing how information technology provides for the educational needs of nurses. It will then explain how information technology can have significant effects on the role of general practitioner in the area of public health. The essay will then turn to consider the lack of knowledge about the potential of computers among hospital administrators and nursing executives. The final section will deal with how information technology assists health professionals in the delivery of services in rural areas. The essay will argue that information technology has significant potential to improve health care and medical education but health professionals are reluctant to use it. ACTIVITY 2 Read through Introduction B. As you read identify which functions the different sentences perform and decide for yourself how well the writer has succeeded in engaging the reader’s interest, limiting the scope, setting out the main ideas, and providing a thesis statement. Check your assessment against the feedback given underneath the introduction. Popular representations of Australia like to portray it as the land of the “fair...
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...You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Many high-level positions in companies are filled by men even though the workforce in many developed countries is more than 50 per cent female. Companies should be required to allocate a certain percentage of these positions to women. To what extent do you agree? Write at least 250 words. Model answer In many countries these days, females make up over 50 per cent of the workforce, and increasingly highly skilled women are taking managerial positions. However, it is still a fact that high positions such as CEO posts are still dominated by men. Although this is not desirable, I do not personally believe that imposed quotas are the solution. Firstly, I believe companies have a right to choose the best person for the job, whatever their gender, in order to contribute to the success of the business. Forcing companies to hire, promote and appoint women could negatively affect business in the short term and even the long term. Secondly, to my mind the solution to this problem should be solved outside the workplace. Girls need to be encouraged to take more male-dominated subjects at school and later at university, and to aspire to do well in their careers. Girls and boys also need to be taught equality from an early age. This education can take place in schools and career programmes and in the home. To those who argue that quotas are a good way to initiate this change, I would like to point out that artificially imposing rules has not always...
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...SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH Cover sheet for Assignment 1 Student Surname__Ullman_________ Student First Name___Kiri_______________ Student Number _____16156957__________________________________________ Unit Name _____Healthcare Systems in Australia_______________________________ Assignment ____SWOT Analysis and Report__________________________________ Unit Coordinator__Caroline Yates__________________________________________ Date Due __10/04/2015____________________________________________________ 10/04/2015 10/04/2015 Date Submitted → I, Kiri Ullman, certify that this is all my own work, and that I have maintained academic integrity. I maintain there has been no colluding or plagiarism in this assignment. Signed Kiri Ullman 16156957 Contents 1.0 Introduction____________________________________________________________2 2.0 Strengths 2.0.1 Medicare__________________________________________________________2 2.0.2 Eligibility and Coverage of Medicare___________________________________3 3.0 Weaknesses 3.0.1 Indigenous Health__________________________________________________3 3.0.2 Availability________________________________________________________4 3.0.3 Limitations of Medicare______________________________________________4 4.0 Opportunities 4.0.1 E-health Records and Technology_____________________________________4 4.0.2 Ambulance Fees____________________________________________________5 5.0...
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...Topic Two: Human Rights Rights The nature and development of concepts of human rights. State sovereignty, ‘natural law’ doctrine, historic constitutional documents, movement for slavery abolition, trade unionism, universal suffrage and universal education Human Rights Human rights are the basic rights to which all human beings are entitled to. The most recognized document in modern human rights is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, created by the UN. Human rights can be said to come from the idea of ‘natural law’. Natural Law Doctrine is the idea that some laws come from God or higher reasoning whether they have been written down or not. State sovereignty State sovereignty refers to the power of a state to have control over its territory and its subject. It’s important for protecting human rights because it means someone whose rights are being abused can flee to a safe country for protection. Because it restricts the actions of neighbours and other concerned states, also allows human rights abuses to go unpunished within the boundaries of a state. Movement for the Abolition of Slavery Slavery is the state of being under the control of another person. Trade Unionism Trade unionism is the collective organisation of workers formed to protect the rights of individuals from the power exercised by employees. The benefits of trade unionism include: * Prevention of child labour * Prevention of forced labour * Fair treatment of workers ...
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...priority areas (NHPAs) as a response to the World Health Organization’s global strategy Health for All by the year 2000 to combat diseases and conditions that contribute significantly to the wellbeing of the Australian community. The NHPA initiative framework aims to reduce burden of illness and injury by ensuring the continuity of care from preventive measures through to treatment, management and maintenance. Arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions is one of the nine latest NHPAs having larger impact on the health of Australians. Musculoskeletal conditions are conditions of bones, muscles and their attachments such as joints and ligaments. It is not only highly prevalent but also large contributors to pain, illness and disability in Australia. Arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions also constitute more than half of all chronic conditions globally and are the significant cause of severe, pain (long-term) and disability (physical) (Murray and Lopez 1996). There are five common musculoskeletal conditions: i) back pain and problems, ii) osteoarthritis, iii) rheumatoid arthritis, iv) osteoporosis and v) juvenile arthritis. All these conditions are diverse with respect to functional changes that results from the disease. However, their association with pain and impaired functioning are anatomically linked. The risk factors are congenital anomalies, metabolic abnormalities, inflammatory conditions, infections, overuse of joints, joint injury, cancer and gender. Since these causes...
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