Advancing leadership in nursing education through the lens of undergraduate education in Indigenous health and reconciliation. Opportunities to explore the development of an Indigenous health course and the development of academic-practice partnerships to support improved health outcomes for Indigenous people.
Gianina Gaitana is a Registered Nurse (RN) with a clinical background in paediatric nursing, specifically paediatric medicine, respiratory medicine and infectious diseases.
She is a full-time professor in the Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing (BScN) program at Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario. She is interested in issues surrounding patient- and family-centred care and teaching about topics related to child and adolescent health, leadership, and ethics in nursing practice.
Gianina’s research interests are focused on leadership in nursing education, particularly the educational pathways of foreign-trained nurses and their experiences of attaining licensure. Her passion for teaching in nursing includes a focus on promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in the learning process, and creating better awareness for culture and learning styles and their impact on the baccalaureate nursing student experience.
Corrine Lalonde, BScN, MScN, Georgian College
Cassandra Crowe’s identity ties to both her Indigenous and euro settler heritage. She is committed to reclaiming her culture, while empowering others to embrace compassion, understanding, and equity. With roots in health care since she has been 17, Cassandra is currently the Indigenous Coordinator at the Royal Victoria Regional Health centre located in Barrie, Ontario, and a co-chair of the Indigenous Health Circle Committee in the Simcoe Muskoka region. She is a passionate educator, teaching an Indigenous Health course for nursing students at Georgian College, and works to inspire the next generation of health professionals to integrate cultural safety and a deep understanding of self into their practice.
Co-Authors
Corrine Lalonde, RN MScN Professor, Honours Bachelor of Science-Nursing program, Georgian College
Tiffany McCue, Indigenization Initiatives Lead, Indigenous Services, Georgian College
Lisa Keenan-Lindsay, RN MN, PNC(C) Professor, Honours Bachelor of Science-Nursing program, Georgian College