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“It’s really important our stories are told by our people. So much of Australia’s history is told through a non-Indigenous lens.”
Janine Mohamed, chief executive of the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM), shared this vision following the announcement of a collaboration between HESTA and CATSINaM that aims to shine a light on the history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses in Australia.
HESTA launched its Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) at the CATSINaM conference, held this month. Under the plan, the two organisations will work together to help record and celebrate the stories of First Nations nurses.
Mohamed said the collaboration will help tell the stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses from their own perspective and highlight their contribution to health equity. “Their stories need to be elevated so that we can know and have pride in them.”
HESTA chief executive Debby Blakey said committing to this action is the superannuation fund’s way of recognising the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses past and present to Australia’s healthcare system.
“By collaborating with associations like CATSINaM to record and share their stories we hope to help acknowledge the barriers they may have overcome, whilst raising awareness of the pivotal role they continue to play in achieving health equality in Australia,” Blakey said.
Innovate RAP also includes a commitment to support the development of Indigenous nurse leaders in the healthcare sector in recognition of the vital role they play in achieving health equality between First Nations people and the wider Australian community.
Nursing Review spoke with Mohamed about the importance of sharing the stories of Australia’s First Nations nurses and to learn more about the contribution they have made and continue to make to the health sector.
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I found this article difficult to follow with the repeated reference to the CEO as Mohamed rather than Ms Mohamed or Janine. I wonder if in future articles the styling could be amended.