The vision of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
Cultural Safety Essay
Task description: The vision of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
Plan 2013-2023 is:
“The Australian health system is free of racism and inequality and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have access to health
services that are effective, high quality, appropriate and affordable” (Australian Government, 2013, p. 7).
For health professionals to be effective agents in realizing this vision they are required to be culturally safe practitioners, who are literate in the
dynamics of race and racism and their impacts on well-being. Furthermore, health professionals must be knowledgeable of the
historical and political influences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ well-being.
This reflective assignment requires you to first demonstrate your understanding of the key concepts associated with cultural safety, and
then apply them to context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ health and well-being.
In this assessment you will be required to utilize the 5Rs Reflection Framework to discuss changes in your thoughts and feelings throughout
the initial learning process of NSB202. Furthermore, discuss the application of culturally safety to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
peoples’ health and well-being context from a profession and individual perspective. Assessed:
1. Apply the principles of cultural safety to the context of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders’ health and well-being to analyse
and advance your current position on the continuum of cultural safety.
2. Describe historical, social, and political issues and how they inform current experiences of health and well-being, in order to realise their
significance as determinants of current health and well-being of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders.
3. Discover the everyday experiences of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders that inform their health care and apply this knowledge
to facilitate effective partnerships with individuals, families, and communities.
What you need to do: Respond to the follow assessment tasks:
Step 1
Demonstrate your understanding of the following concepts:
a) Compare and contrast personal racism and systemic/institutionalbracism
b) Briefly discuss the power dynamics associated with the whiteness of nursing
c) Compare and contrast cultural safety and cultural awareness training
Step 2
In accordance with the 5Rs of Reflection Framework, report and respond to one (1) assumption that you became aware of through
developing new knowledge and understanding from the readings, learning activities and reflective process.
Step 3
Discuss historical (including political) factors that contributed to institutional racism and white privilege, particularly in regards to
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ access to health care, education and employment.
Step 4
Discuss how culturally safe nursing practice may challenge personal and institutional racism that impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
peoples’ access to health care.
Step 5
In accordance with the 5Rs of Reflection Framework, reflect on your reactions (feeling and thoughts) to the learning materials (required and
recommended readings, videos, lectures and tutorial material). Report, respond, relate, reason and reconstruct your perception of:
a) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and well-being;
b) your role in ensuring cultural safe nursing care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Answer preview:
Words: 2,227