In November 2023, 12 nurses and Aboriginal Healthcare workers from across Monash Health gathered at the annual Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM) conference in Kingscliff, NSW.
Monash Health employees were able to attend thanks to the support of Maxxia and HESTA, two of the Monash Health Foundation’s corporate partners.
The conference brings together First Nations nurses, midwives, healthcare workers, academics, researchers along with non-indigenous allies to share, collaborate and advance the work they do across First Nations communities Australia wide.
The 3-day event is comprised of presentations, workshops and speakers sharing information about new models of care and exciting research findings.
Maia Sanderson, Aboriginal Family Support Worker and Kerry Stickland, Manager of Aboriginal Health Community, both attended in November and found the experience invaluable.
“It was incredibly interesting to learn how other health providers work with their First Nations communities,” said Kerry.
“Beyond the educational aspect, the opportunity to build relationships with members of the congress from across Australia has been fantastic, and I’m looking forward to seeing so many familiar faces at the next conference this October.”
Maia explains that one aspect all attendees have in common is the drive to ensure everyone they work with is cared for holistically to achieve the best possible outcomes. This is especially important when it comes to working with First Nations youth who are in out-of-home care.
“Being able to provide continuity of care to young people is incredibly important, and often leads to more positive outcomes for these kids,” says Maia.
The opportunity for conference attendees to nominate themselves to participate in workshops and presentations most relevant to their area of expertise means they can get the very best out of their time at the event.
“Given Monash Health is the largest provider of healthcare to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria, it’s crucial that we’re fully versed in the best and most up-to-date models of care.”
CATSINaM members from Monash Health are hoping to attend the conference again this year, but this time they aiming to present to their peers about the work Monash Health does within First Nations communities.
We look forward to following their journey.
