What it is: Appropriate care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is person-centred and meets their needs, expectations, rights, and those of their family. Cultural safety further provides people with power to influence care and support positive patient-centred outcomes. Communication is central to providing safe and appropriate care.
Why it matters: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have high risk of life-limiting conditions including cardiovascular, kidney and respiratory disease, and dementia. Communication with nurses supports the person and their family to influence care decisions.
What I need to know: For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, 'family' members may not be related by blood but be related through traditional kinship or cultural groupings.
If an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander patient is close to death, it is important that they do not die alone. Family presence is culturally important.
Building good relationships is important. Listen more than you speak. Introduce yourself and begin by simply ‘having a yarn’.
Post-death practices or requirements will differ across communities. If these are not met, there can be significant cultural consequences and distress caused to the family and the community. If an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person dies away from country, it is important to have the details of the correct family member who plans to escort the deceased back to country.
Acceptable terms to describe Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are Aboriginal person, Torres Strait Islander person, and First Australian.