NURS 401 FINAL EXAM | COMPREHENSIVE NURSING STUDY GUIDE,
PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 2026/2027
WORKING WITH INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES CLASS I & II - ANS ✔✔WORKING WITH INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES CLASS I & II
define the term indigenous people - ANS ✔✔acknowledges the inherent rights and political views of the
*diverse groups of original peoples* with historical and cultural ties to Canada.
Define the term Aboriginal. - ANS ✔✔Is a *broad term* that does not account for the various original
peoples (First Nations people, Métis, and Inuit) in the country.
*does not fully recognize the diversity* of indigenous peoples
Describe the Inuit population - ANS ✔✔- Most reside in arctic and subarctic regions of northern Canada
- Majority (over 80%) live in 53 communities, and most of these are accessible by air only
Describe the Metis population - ANS ✔✔A person who self-identifies as Métis is of a historic Métis
Nation Ancestry, is distinct from other Aboriginal Peoples, and is accepted by the Métis Nation
Aboriginal people of mixed blood (e.g., parents of both Aboriginal and European ancestry).
Have their own dialect (Michif language) but are diverse linguistically, depending on the combination of
ancestry (e.g., Cree, Dene, Ojibway, English, and French).
what is the fastest growing population in canada - ANS ✔✔the indigenous population
describe the indigenous culture and way of living pre-colonization - ANS ✔✔self-determining, self-
governing vibrant communities
holistic perspective on health and wellness reflective of the interconnectedness of the mental, physical,
emotional and spiritual facets of life.
effective systems of hygiene, nutrition, medicine, and healing practices that insured survival, health and
wellness.
found innovative ideas on education, hunting, fishing and gathering foods alongside sophisticated and
complex social and cultural governance strategies
Diseases were absent prior to European contact, and dental caries accounted for less than 1% of all teeth
lived in harmony and balance with the environment.
Define colonialism - ANS ✔✔acquiring or maintaining colonies; it involves a *wealthier power controlling
and exploiting another society*.
,*Settlement of colonies and the imposition of one powers culture on another*
List and describe the 3 waves of colonialism that occurred in Canada - ANS ✔✔*legal wave*
- *legislation that suppressed rights* of indigenous persons
*administrative wave*
- *reserve system* that *isolated Indigenous peoples* and allowed Europeans to claim the land
*ideological wave*
- residential school system and foster parent systems were intended to assimilate and isolate Indigenous
peoples. taking away the indigenous culture/values/beliefs
define treaty - ANS ✔✔an agreement between indigenous peoples and government in which indigenous
peoples ceded their rights to land in exchange for reserves, small cash payments, land-use rates, and
other considerations.
the first treaty established among indigenous nations established peace and reminded people to live in
piece while sharing the resources and land equally, this changed during colonization.
how were treaties used by the european settlers to exert power? - ANS ✔✔a number of treaty
obligations, included those that impacted community health, we're not fulfilled by the government.
with dislocation and disease brought by settlers, indigenous persons were forces into situation in which
their survival relied on signing these treaties that further damaged the health of their communities
define decolonization - ANS ✔✔the process of *undoing the impact of colonial state*
Entails engaging in *critical reflective thought* processes that *address social issues* in the wider
framework of *indigenous self determination, sovereignty, and social justice* within the *context of
indigenous history's, struggles, and ideals.*
CHNs and decolonization - ANS ✔✔engage in shared storytelling
critical questioning of policies governing healthcare delivery
responding to verbal and nonverbal expressions of resistance
building collaborative relationships
recognize indigenous people as inherent right holders rather than 'needy' victims.
draw upon culturally safe work with indigenous people using trauma informed care
What are some steps towards decolonizing thinking - ANS ✔✔One] acknowledge that colonization has
occurred and continues to occur.
,Two] examine how your own perceptions may be framed by colonial thanking and explore what
evidence supports your perceptions.
Three] examine different perspectives and sources of evidence and knowledge.
Four] explore the implications and outcomes of different perceptions and ways of thinking.
Five] commit to actions and outcomes that promote solidarity and build allegiances.
Six] continually reflect and recommit to solidarity
Indigenous persons & nursing history - ANS ✔✔Indigenous people taught their traditional medicine and
healing practices to missionaries who befriended them
Registered nursing education remained closed to first nations, inuit, and metis women until the late
1930s
Indigenous nursing students had to attain special permission from the government to attend
A degree was required for outpost and northern nursing with the federal government.
mass forms of ethnocentrism in nursing curricula
Indigneous Nurses Association of Canada had its first meeting in 1975.
Now we have the Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association which has partnerships with CHNC and CNA
seats are reserved for indigenous students in nursing programs
bachelor of scene available in Arctic nursing in Nunavut (inuktitut/inuinnaqtun language an asset)
universities have indigenous nursing departments, courses or curricula
what was the sixties scoop - ANS ✔✔Removing or scooping large numbers of indigenous children from
their families and either sending them to foster homes or adopting them out, usually into non-
indigenous families.
Occurred from the 1960s to the mid-1980s.
Just like residential schools, practice was largely hidden.
In 2007 first nations children accounted for 30 to 40% of all children in the child welfare system
what were the goals of canadas aboriginal policy for over a century - ANS ✔✔eliminate Aboriginal
governments;
ignore Aboriginal rights;
, terminate the Treaties;
through a process of assimilation, cause Aboriginal peoples to cease to exist as distinct legal, social,
cultural, religious, and racial entities in Canada.
what are residential schools, why were they created? - ANS ✔✔Religious schools established and funded
by the federal government to assimilate aboriginal children. Became compulsory in 1920. Children
learned that their culture and language are of no value. This caused a multi generational effect
Separating Aboriginal children from their families, in order to minimize and weaken family ties and
cultural linkages, and to indoctrinate children into a new culture—the culture of the legally dominant
Euro-Christian Canadian society, led by Canada's first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald.
cultural genocide
What is the Indian Act? - ANS ✔✔- Consolidated various laws relating to First Nations that had been
passed by the Canadian government in the years since Confederation and by the British colonial
authorities before them.
- Exists to this day; it is still used to set out certain federal government obligations and continues to exert
power and control over all aspects of native life, such as reserve lands, money, and other resources.
- Defines who has Indian "status" and who does not
what is the multigenerational effect - ANS ✔✔- Children grew up without learning their traditional roles
as children and, eventually, as parents.
- As recently as the 1960s-1980s children were taken from families for care in non-Indigenous families—
commonly called "The Sixties Scoop."
- These historical abuses have created intergenerational grief that affects the mental, physical,
emotional, and spiritual well-being of individuals, families, and communities today.
Describe some current health inequities experienced by indigenous populations - ANS ✔✔lower life
expectancy
higher incidence of food insecurity, sexual health, addictions, mental health, and spiritual health
problems
higher suicide average
high rate of death from injury (suicide, MVA)
higher rates of obesity, type II diabetes
low standards of health related to poverty, malnutrition, overcrowding, environmental contaminants,
and inadequate clinical care
increased chronic and degenerative disease in aboriginal populations (especially CVD & DM), what is one
reason this has occurred - ANS ✔✔there was a forced loss of relationship to the land --> disconnect with
the gathering and traditional food practices --> significant dietary changes occured
PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 2026/2027
WORKING WITH INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES CLASS I & II - ANS ✔✔WORKING WITH INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES CLASS I & II
define the term indigenous people - ANS ✔✔acknowledges the inherent rights and political views of the
*diverse groups of original peoples* with historical and cultural ties to Canada.
Define the term Aboriginal. - ANS ✔✔Is a *broad term* that does not account for the various original
peoples (First Nations people, Métis, and Inuit) in the country.
*does not fully recognize the diversity* of indigenous peoples
Describe the Inuit population - ANS ✔✔- Most reside in arctic and subarctic regions of northern Canada
- Majority (over 80%) live in 53 communities, and most of these are accessible by air only
Describe the Metis population - ANS ✔✔A person who self-identifies as Métis is of a historic Métis
Nation Ancestry, is distinct from other Aboriginal Peoples, and is accepted by the Métis Nation
Aboriginal people of mixed blood (e.g., parents of both Aboriginal and European ancestry).
Have their own dialect (Michif language) but are diverse linguistically, depending on the combination of
ancestry (e.g., Cree, Dene, Ojibway, English, and French).
what is the fastest growing population in canada - ANS ✔✔the indigenous population
describe the indigenous culture and way of living pre-colonization - ANS ✔✔self-determining, self-
governing vibrant communities
holistic perspective on health and wellness reflective of the interconnectedness of the mental, physical,
emotional and spiritual facets of life.
effective systems of hygiene, nutrition, medicine, and healing practices that insured survival, health and
wellness.
found innovative ideas on education, hunting, fishing and gathering foods alongside sophisticated and
complex social and cultural governance strategies
Diseases were absent prior to European contact, and dental caries accounted for less than 1% of all teeth
lived in harmony and balance with the environment.
Define colonialism - ANS ✔✔acquiring or maintaining colonies; it involves a *wealthier power controlling
and exploiting another society*.
,*Settlement of colonies and the imposition of one powers culture on another*
List and describe the 3 waves of colonialism that occurred in Canada - ANS ✔✔*legal wave*
- *legislation that suppressed rights* of indigenous persons
*administrative wave*
- *reserve system* that *isolated Indigenous peoples* and allowed Europeans to claim the land
*ideological wave*
- residential school system and foster parent systems were intended to assimilate and isolate Indigenous
peoples. taking away the indigenous culture/values/beliefs
define treaty - ANS ✔✔an agreement between indigenous peoples and government in which indigenous
peoples ceded their rights to land in exchange for reserves, small cash payments, land-use rates, and
other considerations.
the first treaty established among indigenous nations established peace and reminded people to live in
piece while sharing the resources and land equally, this changed during colonization.
how were treaties used by the european settlers to exert power? - ANS ✔✔a number of treaty
obligations, included those that impacted community health, we're not fulfilled by the government.
with dislocation and disease brought by settlers, indigenous persons were forces into situation in which
their survival relied on signing these treaties that further damaged the health of their communities
define decolonization - ANS ✔✔the process of *undoing the impact of colonial state*
Entails engaging in *critical reflective thought* processes that *address social issues* in the wider
framework of *indigenous self determination, sovereignty, and social justice* within the *context of
indigenous history's, struggles, and ideals.*
CHNs and decolonization - ANS ✔✔engage in shared storytelling
critical questioning of policies governing healthcare delivery
responding to verbal and nonverbal expressions of resistance
building collaborative relationships
recognize indigenous people as inherent right holders rather than 'needy' victims.
draw upon culturally safe work with indigenous people using trauma informed care
What are some steps towards decolonizing thinking - ANS ✔✔One] acknowledge that colonization has
occurred and continues to occur.
,Two] examine how your own perceptions may be framed by colonial thanking and explore what
evidence supports your perceptions.
Three] examine different perspectives and sources of evidence and knowledge.
Four] explore the implications and outcomes of different perceptions and ways of thinking.
Five] commit to actions and outcomes that promote solidarity and build allegiances.
Six] continually reflect and recommit to solidarity
Indigenous persons & nursing history - ANS ✔✔Indigenous people taught their traditional medicine and
healing practices to missionaries who befriended them
Registered nursing education remained closed to first nations, inuit, and metis women until the late
1930s
Indigenous nursing students had to attain special permission from the government to attend
A degree was required for outpost and northern nursing with the federal government.
mass forms of ethnocentrism in nursing curricula
Indigneous Nurses Association of Canada had its first meeting in 1975.
Now we have the Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association which has partnerships with CHNC and CNA
seats are reserved for indigenous students in nursing programs
bachelor of scene available in Arctic nursing in Nunavut (inuktitut/inuinnaqtun language an asset)
universities have indigenous nursing departments, courses or curricula
what was the sixties scoop - ANS ✔✔Removing or scooping large numbers of indigenous children from
their families and either sending them to foster homes or adopting them out, usually into non-
indigenous families.
Occurred from the 1960s to the mid-1980s.
Just like residential schools, practice was largely hidden.
In 2007 first nations children accounted for 30 to 40% of all children in the child welfare system
what were the goals of canadas aboriginal policy for over a century - ANS ✔✔eliminate Aboriginal
governments;
ignore Aboriginal rights;
, terminate the Treaties;
through a process of assimilation, cause Aboriginal peoples to cease to exist as distinct legal, social,
cultural, religious, and racial entities in Canada.
what are residential schools, why were they created? - ANS ✔✔Religious schools established and funded
by the federal government to assimilate aboriginal children. Became compulsory in 1920. Children
learned that their culture and language are of no value. This caused a multi generational effect
Separating Aboriginal children from their families, in order to minimize and weaken family ties and
cultural linkages, and to indoctrinate children into a new culture—the culture of the legally dominant
Euro-Christian Canadian society, led by Canada's first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald.
cultural genocide
What is the Indian Act? - ANS ✔✔- Consolidated various laws relating to First Nations that had been
passed by the Canadian government in the years since Confederation and by the British colonial
authorities before them.
- Exists to this day; it is still used to set out certain federal government obligations and continues to exert
power and control over all aspects of native life, such as reserve lands, money, and other resources.
- Defines who has Indian "status" and who does not
what is the multigenerational effect - ANS ✔✔- Children grew up without learning their traditional roles
as children and, eventually, as parents.
- As recently as the 1960s-1980s children were taken from families for care in non-Indigenous families—
commonly called "The Sixties Scoop."
- These historical abuses have created intergenerational grief that affects the mental, physical,
emotional, and spiritual well-being of individuals, families, and communities today.
Describe some current health inequities experienced by indigenous populations - ANS ✔✔lower life
expectancy
higher incidence of food insecurity, sexual health, addictions, mental health, and spiritual health
problems
higher suicide average
high rate of death from injury (suicide, MVA)
higher rates of obesity, type II diabetes
low standards of health related to poverty, malnutrition, overcrowding, environmental contaminants,
and inadequate clinical care
increased chronic and degenerative disease in aboriginal populations (especially CVD & DM), what is one
reason this has occurred - ANS ✔✔there was a forced loss of relationship to the land --> disconnect with
the gathering and traditional food practices --> significant dietary changes occured
