Aboriginal patients in Saskatoon hospitals have dedicated people to help them navigate the complex and often confusing health care system.

Saskatoon Health Region has implemented a First Nations and Metis Health Services program, and has two health navigators to assist Aboriginal patients.

The health navigators work with the patient, elders, cultural advisors and other health region staff to identify barriers that impact the patient’s health outcome. Barriers often include language, health region staff not recognizing cultural beliefs, or the patient does not ask for assistance. Whatever the reason, the health navigators are there to help the patient and family break through those barriers and let them know that they are not alone.

“Often patients don’t speak English or very little English, so we do a lot of the translation,” said Delia Allberg, one of the health navigators. Allberg is fluent in Dene, and her coworker, Valerie Bradfield, speaks and understands Cree.

The navigators are located in St. Paul’s Hospital, and each day, they visit new patients there to introduce themselves, and see what they can do to help. Allberg also assists patients with Dene language translation at Royal University Hospital (RUH).

They advocate for patients and families that require their support, including connecting with social workers from the different hospitals, contacting communities, First Nations bands, health clinics, and support for the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program through First Nations Inuit Health.

“They come in for program support for meals, accommodations, taxi fares back and forth to the hotels. If they qualify to be an escort then we advocate for them to NIHB,” Allberg added.

As well as caring for physical needs, the program also has a cultural component to assist patients with spiritual needs.

“We have a traditional smudge every Thursday. Lots of people inquire about that for the patients, or ask about spiritual care,” explained Allberg.

“We advocate for them to practice their own cultural and spiritual beliefs,” said Bradfield, who is a Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Educator, and a traditional bundle keeper. She is not a medicine person but received four years of training on traditional medicine and protocol.

“A lot of times I work with the doctors and nurses and explain to them about the importance of culture. I explain that it’s different for all our communities, and that it’s not the same for everyone. I bring them to the side and just let them know in a good way, to better understand the patient’s perspective. I try to bring the health care perspective as well as the traditional focus so the patient can have that voice,” Bradfield said.

Bradfield has shared teachings with ICU staff at St. Paul’s and RUH on traditional medicine in a presentation titled Reawakening the Memory.

“It’s about allowing people to be more self aware of their own experience and how we can better support our own First Nations and Metis patients and families who practice those cultural ways,” she said.

Their work has made a difference.

“It’s really been beneficial to visit the patients on the ward. They’re very happy to have a program like this, especially when they come through NIHB. Folks coming from so far north who maybe don’t have much money, we can support and advocate for them that way and get them support. They’re really grateful for that. It makes it a little bit easier,” said Allberg.

“It’s just a little thing that we’re doing for them but for the patient or family, it’s a huge thing and it makes a huge difference for them just to know where to go and what service to access,” said Bradfield.

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