(March 9, 2010 – Iqaluit, Nunavut) Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. 1st Vice-President James Eetoolook today announced the release of a report aimed at finding ways to increase the number of Inuit nurses in Nunavut. The report is entitled Recruitment and Retention of Inuit Nurses in Nunavut. “I am happy NTI produced this report as it contains practical recommendations to build a representational Inuit nursing workforce,” said Eetoolook. “This is critically important in improving health care services in Nunavut, especially in the area of culturally appropriate care.”

The major recommendations in the report are as follows:

• Enhance promotional activities to encourage Inuit to pursue nursing as a career choice.
• Introduce new measures to prepare students for success in the nursing program.
• Adapt the Nunavut Arctic College nursing program to better include Inuit culture and values.
• Increase supports for Inuit students enrolled in the nursing program.
• Eliminate systemic barriers to aspiring Inuit nurses in transition from education to employment.
• Develop a systematic culture of mentorship within the Nunavut nursing sector.

“With our combined efforts with the Government of Nunavut and the Government of Canada, and the dedication of Inuit who aspire to be nurses and are already working as nurses, we know we can build a strong, sustainable Inuit nursing workforce in Nunavut,” said Eetoolook.

The project was led by NTI with the collaboration of the Government of Nunavut’s Department of Health and Social Services, Health Canada Northern Region, and Nunavut Arctic College.

Electronic copies of the report are available on NTI’s website.

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