GROUP-REFLECTION

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INDS 2000 Indigenous Ways of Knowing

Group 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.

Entry to practice competencies for Registered Practice Nurses include but are not limited to:
the ability to provide safe, ethical, client-centered care; demonstrate effective communication,
collaboration, effective problem solving skills and priority setting; conflict resolution skills;
client advocacy; evidence informed practice; and to demonstrate behaviours and attitudes that
are in accordance with the CNO’s Code of Conduct and Practice Standards (CNO, 2021, 2019,
2002).

This group-reflection exercise will provide students an opportunity to discuss how the values of
others on health care teams may impact therapeutic nurse-client relationships, the care of
clients, and the health outcomes of clients.

This group reflection exercise will involve students actively communicating, collaborating and
problem solving with their assigned group members to critically examine an Indigenous client’s
experience within a healthcare environment. Students are challenged to consider ways to
prevent poor health outcomes in their future practice environments by reflecting on ways to
improve practice environments, address system wide challenges, advocate for policy changes,
challenge the status quo, report unsafe practice, and promote culturally safe care of Indigenous
clients within practice environments.

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

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relationship building with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples, their culture, and
health practices

• CLO 5: Apply knowledge of the determinants of health of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis
Peoples, families, and communities to demonstrate strategies to promote health equity

• 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

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

Assignment Instructions:

• Each student will read the news article ‘The horrific treatment of Joyce Echaquan shows
Canada’s systemic racism – again’ (Cardinal, 2020).

• Students are to create one group reflection word document.
o Students are to review the assignment rubric to ensure they include discussion

of all outlined grading criteria.
§ It is suggested that if students are dividing up the reflection questions,

that groups also ensure they divide up the rubric criteria to ensure all
criteria is covered.

o Each Student will work in their assigned group to answer ALL of the questions
below and prepare one group reflection.

o The group reflection is a maximum of 4 pages, double spaced.
§ Please do not include the questions within the reflection due to the

limited page count of this assignment. The title page and reference page
do not count as part of the four-page reflection

o The groups reflect will be submitted to the appropriate assignment drop box, by
the assignment deadline.

o Students are expected to abide by academic integrity policies as outlined in the
student handbook. All work submitted must be the groups own original work.

• All students are to attend class to complete in-class group activities/tasks, as class time
is provided to groups prior to the assignment deadline to work on the group reflection
assignment and provide students an opportunity to demonstrate professionalism and
collaboration within the class-room.

o Mandatory in-class tasks occur in the weeks prior to the deadline of the
assignment. Students are to demonstrate Professionalism and Collaboration,
which is weighted 10 points out of 100 possible points for this assignment (see
rubric criteria #9).

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o Faculty will take attendance on days where time is provided to work on the
group reflection.

o Faculty will observe completion of in-class group tasks.
o Groups are responsible for informing the instructor of any concerns or

challenges within the group during this in-class time.
§ Concerns must be brought to the attention in a timely manner to support

prompt follow up, support and direction to the group.
o The Professionalism and Collaboration criteria will be graded both individually

and as group. All group members are responsible for actively participating in
solving conflict and concerns within the group.

Assignment Questions:

• Reflect on and answer ALL of the following questions:
1. Why do nurses need to critically reflect of on their own attitudes and beliefs, and be

aware of the possible impact of others’ attitudes and beliefs may have on their own
practice?

2. After reviewing the article, do you and your group members feel the primary nurse
effectively establish, maintained a therapeutic nurse-client relationship and
demonstrated appropriate use of power with Joyce? Why, or why not?

3. What is the practical nurse’s role in providing culturally safe care and supporting
Indigenous health and healing practices within all healthcare environments?

4. How can a strengths-based, client-centered care approach benefit Indigenous
clients?

5. Why is it important for nurses to have knowledge about 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?

6. What is one strategy nurses can utilize to apply knowledge of the determinants of
health of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples, families, and communities to
demonstrate to promote health equity?

7. Imagine you and your group members are working on the unit that day where Joyce
was admitted. While Joyce is not your patient, you witness the primary nurse
mocking the client and making derogatory comments, and not intervening when the
client is calling for help. What is your role and responsibilities in this situation?

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Group 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
establish and maintain

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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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
could jeopardize client
safety.

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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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
assistance and/or help
others in a rapidly
changing client

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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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
relationships and
promote positive client
outcomes. Students
work effectively within

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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their groups to resolve
conflict, and ensure
individual and group
tasks and assignment
is completed on time.
Professional
collaboration was
demonstrated
consistently
individually, and as a
group.

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

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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

Cardinal, J. (2020). The horrific treatment of Joyce Echaquan shows Canada’s systemic racism –
again. StAlbertToday. https://www.stalberttoday.ca/beyond-local/the-horrific-
treatment-of-joyce-echaquan-shows-canadas-systemic-racism-again-2794483

College of Nurses of Ontario. (2022). QA program. https://www.cno.org/en/myqa/
College of Nurses of Ontario. (2021). 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
College of Nurses of Ontario. (2002). Practice standard: Professional standards, revised 2002.

https://www.cno.org/globalassets/docs/prac/41006_profstds.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