SELF-REFLECTION

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INDS 2000 Indigenous Ways of Knowing

Individual Self-Reflection Assignment

Purpose of Assignment:

According to the College of Nurses of Ontario (2022, 2021, 2019, 2002) Registered Practical
Nurses are expected to demonstrate critical self-reflection, ongoing professional development,
and a commitment to lifelong learning to promote safe, competent, and quality client care.

This individual self-reflection exercise will provide each student an opportunity to reflect on
their own values, the values of others and how this may impact the therapeutic nurse-client
relationship, the care of clients, and the health outcomes of clients.

This self-reflection exercise will involve critically examining an Indigenous client’s experience
within a healthcare environment and challenges students to begin to consider possible ways
that poor health outcomes can be avoided in future practice by reflecting on ways they wish to
practice in future.

Assignment & Course Learning Outcomes:

• CLO 1: Appreciate a strengths-based, person-centered, and culturally safe approach to
the nursing process when working with Indigenous Peoples

• CLO 2: Engage in critical self-reflection of own attitudes and beliefs related to
Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous health and healing

• CLO 3: Examine the practical nurse’s role in promoting a culturally safe environment and
providing culturally safe care

• CLO 4: Transform the nurse-client relationship in the process of reconciliation by
demonstrating inclusivity through the commitment to engaging in dialogue and
relationship building with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples, their culture, and
health practices

• CLO 6: Relate key Indigenous health issues to the current impact of the history and
legacy of residential schools, and other Canadian policies and structures that continue
to negatively impact Indigenous Peoples’ health

• CO 7: Identify key components of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the United
Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties, legal agreements on
Indigenous Rights, and Human Rights within Canada

• CLO 8: Demonstrate an understanding of Indigenous health and healing practices by
applying Indigenous Ways of Knowing across healthcare environments

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• CLO 9: Demonstrate interpersonal skills related to developing trust, relationship
building, and conflict resolution with a commitment to the ongoing process of
reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples

• CLO 10: Explore advocacy strategies for the provision of culturally safe care with
Indigenous Peoples across healthcare environments

Assignment Instructions:

• This is an individual assignment.
o Students are to complete the assignment independently and are to abide by

academic integrity policies as outlined in the student handbook.
o All work submitted must be their own original work.

• Read the news article ‘Indigenous health-care challenges remain 13 years after Brian
Sinclair’s death’ (Baxter, 2021)

o Answer all questions below.
• The reflection is a maximum of two pages, double spaced.

o Please do not include the questions within the reflection due to the limited page
count of this assignment.

o The title page and reference page do not count as part of the two-page
reflection.

• The submission will be submitted to the appropriate assignment drop box by the
assignment deadline.

• Students are to review the assignment rubric to ensure they include discussion of all
outlined grading criteria.

Assignment Questions:

• Reflect on and answer ALL of the following questions:
1. Each of us have our own personal values and beliefs. When caring for clients who

may not share the same values and beliefs as us, we must demonstrate respect for
clients’ values, wishes and practices by engaging in critical self-reflection to uncover
personal bias. This will also require us to become aware of how others’ beliefs may
influence us in positive or negative ways.

Ø What strategies/or techniques might you utilized to provide unbiased, non-
judgmental, client-centered care in your future nursing practice?

2. Establishing and maintaining a positive nurse-client relationship is pivotal to
promoting positive health outcomes of clients.

Ø How might you initiate and maintain the ‘Therapeutic Nurse-Client
Relationship’ to promote client safety, positive health outcomes and deliver

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unbiased, culturally safe, client-centered care in your future nursing
practice?

3. What skills might you use to establish and maintain the ‘Therapeutic Nurse-Client
Relationship’ in your future nursing practice?

4. Based on this practice situation, identify one area of opportunity that the nurse
could have done to enhance patient safety/promote positive health outcomes?

5. Considering your future nursing practice, how might you want to promote client
safety when caring for Indigenous clients?

6. What are some of the expected professional behaviours and attitudes that you plan
to demonstrate in your future nursing practice?

7. In your opinion was the care or lack of care of Brian Sinclair an example of a
potentially unsafe nursing practice or be considered professional misconduct? Why
or why not?

8. In your opinion was there a need to seek assistance or ask others about the proper
assessment and treatment of clients who enter the emergency department?

9. How might the use of conflict management strategies be used to promote
professional interdisciplinary relationships and promote positive client outcomes.

10. When you might encounter an ethical/challenging situation that is unfamiliar to you,
what might you do address this knowledge gaps?

11. Consider your future nursing practice. Briefly describe one area you commit to learn
in this course to respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
(2015) Health Call to Action #24:

Ø “We call upon medical and nursing schools in Canada to require all students
to take a course dealing with Aboriginal health issues, including the history
and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the
Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, and Indigenous
teachings and practices. This will require skills-based training in intercultural
competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.”

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Individual Self-Reflection Rubric
Criteria Proficient

8-10
Capable
6-7

Developing
4-5

Needs Improvement
1-3

Not Demonstrated or
Incomplete
0

1. The student
demonstrates an
understanding of the
importance of how to
promote client safety
and positive health
outcomes and delivery
of unbiased, culturally
safe, client-centered
care, which includes
critical self-reflection
to identify personal
bias or differences in
values/beliefs. The
student demonstrates
an understanding of
ways to improve client
safety, by providing
safe, quality, ethical,
dignified, and
competent client-
centered care.
Formulates clinical
decisions consistent
with client needs and
priorities.

Demonstrates a
comprehensive
understanding.

Demonstrates an
adequate
understanding.

Demonstrates a
minimal
understanding.

Demonstrates an
inadequate
understanding.

Criteria not
demonstrated, or
assignment not
submitted.

2. The student
demonstrates an
understanding of the
required skills used to

Demonstrates a
comprehensive
understanding.

Demonstrates an
adequate
understanding.

Demonstrates a
minimal
understanding.

Demonstrates an
inadequate
understanding.

Criteria not
demonstrated, or
assignment not
submitted.

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establish and maintain
the ‘Therapeutic
Nurse-Client
Relationship’ (Trust,
Respect, Appropriate
use of Power, Effective
Communication,
Sharing Information,
Obtaining Informed
Consent, Supporting
the clients’ Autonomy
and Self-
Determination,
Displaying Empathy,
etc.)

3. Able to demonstrate an
understanding of when
to respond to
internal/external
factors that may
impact the clients’
health and safety. Able
to identify and apply
principles of client
safety, such as system
wide or unit wide
issues (i.e., racism,
negative stereotypes,
personal bias, etc., that
may jeopardize client
safety). Able to
recognize and
effectively respond to
high-risk practices that

Demonstrates a
comprehensive
understanding.

Demonstrates an
adequate
understanding.

Demonstrates a
minimal
understanding.

Demonstrates an
inadequate
understanding.

Criteria not
demonstrated, or
assignment not
submitted.

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could jeopardize client
safety.

4. The student
demonstrates an
understanding
expected professional
behaviours and
attitudes such as
honesty, integrity, and
respect of all clients
from all backgrounds.

Demonstrates a
comprehensive
understanding.

Demonstrates an
adequate
understanding.

Demonstrates a
minimal
understanding.

Demonstrates an
inadequate
understanding.

Criteria not
demonstrated, or
assignment not
submitted.

5. The student
demonstrates an
understanding of the
need for nurses to
respond to the Calls to
Action of the Truth and
Reconciliation
Commission of Canada.

Demonstrates a
comprehensive
understanding.

Demonstrates an
adequate
understanding.

Demonstrates a
minimal
understanding.

Demonstrates an
inadequate
understanding.

Criteria not
demonstrated, or
assignment not
submitted.

6. The student
demonstrates an
understanding of their
professional obligation
and need to report
situations within the
practice environment
that are potentially
unsafe or professional
misconduct of their
peers.

Demonstrates a
comprehensive
understanding.

Demonstrates an
adequate
understanding.

Demonstrates a
minimal
understanding.

Demonstrates an
inadequate
understanding.

Criteria not
demonstrated, or
assignment not
submitted.

7. The student
demonstrates an
understanding of the
need to recognize and
seek immediate

Demonstrates a
comprehensive
understanding.

Demonstrates an
adequate
understanding.

Demonstrates a
minimal
understanding.

Demonstrates an
inadequate
understanding.

Criteria not
demonstrated, or
assignment not
submitted.

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assistance and/or help
others in a rapidly
changing client
condition affecting
health or patient
safety.

8. The student
demonstrates an
understanding of the
need to effectively
communicate with
clients, family, and the
healthcare team.
Effective
communication
includes demonstrating
active listening, asking
open-ended
questioning, displaying
effective
interpersonal/relational
skills, interviewing skills
to creating a safe caring
environment. The
student is aware of
barriers to effective
communication (i.e.,
negative stereotypes).

Demonstrates a
comprehensive
understanding.

Demonstrates an
adequate
understanding.

Demonstrates a
minimal
understanding.

Demonstrates an
inadequate
understanding.

Criteria not
demonstrated, or
assignment not
submitted.

9. The student
demonstrates an
understanding of the
need to use conflict
management and
resolution strategies to
promote healthy

Demonstrates a
comprehensive
understanding.

Demonstrates an
adequate
understanding.

Demonstrates a
minimal
understanding.

Demonstrates an
inadequate
understanding.

Criteria not
demonstrated, or
assignment not
submitted.

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relationships and
promote positive client
outcomes.

10. The student
demonstrates proper
use of Conestoga APA
for in-text citations,
referencing, formatting
and demonstrates
academic integrity. As
well as demonstrates
effective use of
grammar, spelling, and
sentence structure.

Demonstrates a
comprehensive
understanding.

Demonstrates an
adequate
understanding.

Demonstrates a
minimal
understanding.

Demonstrates an
inadequate
understanding.

Criteria not
demonstrated, or
assignment not
submitted.

Total Proficient
80-100

Capable
51-79

Developing
31-50

Needs Improvement
1-30

Criteria not
adequately met, or
assignment
incomplete
0-29

INDS 2000

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Academic Integrity:

Refer to the Academic Integrity Policies outlined in the School of Health and Life Sciences and
Community Services Practical Nursing Program Standards and Procedures Handbook.

Ethical guidelines must be adhered to. Plagiarism is considered unethical behaviour and will be
handled following the guidelines in the Conestoga College Student Procedures Guide and the
School of Health Sciences Student Handbook.

Submitting a portion or all of another student’s work will result in a 0 grade.

Unless an extension has been granted in advance it will be considered late. “Late assignments
will be accepted but there will be a 10% penalty for each day the assignment is late up to three
days. Assignments that are more than three days late will receive a grade of zero” as per the
Practical Nursing School of Health Sciences Student Handbook.

References

Baxter, D. (2021). Indigenous health-care challenges remain 13 years after Brian Sinclair’s death.
Winnipeg Sun. https://winnipegsun.com/news/local-news/indigenous-health-care-
challenges-remain-13-years-after-brian-sinclairs-death

College of Nurses of Ontario. (2022). QA program. https://www.cno.org/en/myqa/
College of Nurses of Ontario. (2023). Practice standard: Code of conduct.

https://www.cno.org/globalassets/docs/prac/49040_code-of-conduct.pdf
College of Nurses of Ontario. (2019). Entry to practice competencies for Registered Practice Nurses.

https://www.cno.org/globalassets/docs/reg/41042_entrypracrpn-2020.pdf
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015). Truth and Reconciliation Commission of

Canada: Calls to action. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-
governments/indigenous-people/aboriginal-peoples-
documents/calls_to_action_english2.pdf

Prepared By: Ashley Watcheston RN, MN
School: School of Health and Life Sciences
Date: 2023-08-24