CPIT changes cultural safety delivery.

Cultural safety will now be integrated across all courses at the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology's (CPIT) School of Nursing, rather than taught in stand alone blocks. This follows a recent review of the bachelor of nursing curriculum.

"The impetus for the review was to ensure that graduates are adequately prepared to meet the changing role and expectations of the registered nurse for the next 10 years," said head of school Cathy Andrew. "It involved an extensive consultation process with nurses, professional groups, consumers and communities. The changes to the curriculum are not considered major. What we have done is to restrict and repackage the content into larger courses, so reducing students' assessment load."

CPIT's Te Ropu Kawa Whakaruruhau, comprised of senior Maori nursing leaders in the community, Maori staff and staff in positions of authority at CPIT, played a key role in the review, said Andrew. "Te Ropu provided guidance, direction and final approval of the proposed changes." Members were also mindful of remaining true to the kaupapa of cultural safety pioneer Irihapeti Ramsden, who was instrumental in the establishment of cultural safety as part of the nursing curriculum at CPIT.

Kaiarahi roopu of Nga Ratonga Hauora Maori (Maori health service) at Christchurch Hospital, Annette Finlay, also played an important part in the review and is now a Te Ropu Kawa Whakaruruhau member. As a cultural safety trainer, she was keen to see better integration between what was taught at the polytechnic and what was required as nursing competencies within the hospital. "Nurses need to be able to Link cultural safety to their work--it needs to be something nurses think about all the time, so becoming a natural part of their practice. Cultural safety should not be seen as something separate to 'real nursing.'"

A decision was also made to integrate Maori health throughout the curriculum, as well as addressing it in depth in the specialised second-year Maori health course Te Wanaka Hauora, said Andrew. "Students completing this course will have an understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi, Hauora Maori and its relationship to nursing and health care delivery."