Longhouse in Bella Bella

Services

  • Indigenous Patient Navigators (IPNs)

  • Indigenous Patient Care Quality Liaisons

  • Elders in Residence

  • First Nations and Aboriginal Primary Care Network resources

  • Indigenous Crisis Response Team (ICRT)

Vancouver Coastal Health is committed to having cultural safety and humility embedded in all levels of the health system.

When an Indigenous patient self-identifies as Indigenous, either during the admission process or at any point during their stay, a referral can be made to the Indigenous Health Patient Experience Team. The team consists of the Indigenous Patient Navigator (IPN) team, Indigenous Patient Care Quality (IPCQ) Liaisons and Indigenous Nurse Educators. Elders in Residence and the First Nations and Aboriginal Primary Care Network are also available for culturally-specific care to Indigenous patients and responds to the evolving needs of Indigenous Peoples.

Indigenous Nurse Educators

Indigenous Nurse Educators support Indigenous patients and families by helping to strengthen their understanding of and confidence in their diagnosis, prescribing treatment and discharge plans. 

They support staff by providing real-time Indigenous Cultural Education and identifying gaps in care that require improvement.