The premiere of their collaborative video Culturally safe collaboration between nurses, midwives and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners marked a significant milestone in healthcare education. Having worked across remote communities, I understand firsthand the crucial role these professional relationships play in delivering quality healthcare outcomes for our people.
Miss Cubillo’s Welcome to Country set the tone for the morning beautifully. Her personal story about the importance of family involvement during her daughter’s recent birth resonated deeply with me – it perfectly illustrated why Cultural Safety isn’t just policy, it’s about genuine understanding and respect for our ways of caring.
The 15-20 minute video showcased something I have seen almost every day for more than a decade, working in the Aboriginal Community Controlled sector, and for over five years, working with Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation: the vital role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners play as cultural brokers. We don’t just provide clinical care; we bridge worlds, translating not just language but cultural understanding, family relationships, and community protocols that are essential for effective healthcare delivery.
What excited me most about this initiative was its potential to educate new-to-remote clinicians about working collaboratively with Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners. Too often, our expertise in community knowledge and cultural navigation is undervalued.
This video demonstrates that when nurses, midwives, and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners work together with mutual respect and understanding, we create truly culturally safe environments that benefit everyone.
The strong attendance from key stakeholders, including AHPRA staff, NT Health, AMSANT, and education providers such as the Batchelor Institute, demonstrated the sector’s commitment to this collaborative approach. As someone who completed my Diploma through these very pathways and is now working as a Clinical Educator, I’m proud that CRANAplus was represented at this important moment in advancing culturally safe healthcare practices.
This video isn’t just an educational tool – it’s a testament to what’s possible when we value all voices in the healthcare team.
I encourage all CRANAplus Members, particularly those new to remote practice or working alongside Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners, to watch this important resource, which is expected to be released online later in the year. It will deepen your understanding of culturally safe collaboration and help build the respectful partnerships that are essential for delivering quality health care in our communities.
