Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

There are unique forms of relationships between Indigenous women and the Canadian health care system. These relationships are informed by historical and contemporary forms of structural violence, racism and discrimination. Many Indigenous women face multiple barriers accessing health care and are often reluctant to utilize services based on past negative experiences. Additionally, Indigenous women have been relegated to the periphery of Indigenous life and politics. More specifically, colonial states such as, Canada and United States, attempted to wipe out Indigenous communities by radically altering the roles and responsibilities of Indigenous women to be submissive and domesticated. These settler colonial processes have permeated Indigenous Nations, leading to internalization of gendered violence. To more fully capture issues from the perspectives of Indigenous women, is important for inquiries, especially those concerned with maternal healthcare services, to consider the impacts of gendered violence. While these health care barriers have been described, how these dynamics can be mitigated has not been studied. This study seeks to understand the relationships between registered nurses and Indigenous women during a time of reconciliation, with the goal of improving maternal health experiences and outcomes for Blackfoot women. A theoretical framework of Critical Indigenous Feminism and a Blackfoot Indigenous research methodology will guide this exploratory sequential Indigenous mixed-methods research study. It will include the perspectives of RNs and Blackfoot women about maternal-child community- and hospital-based care across prenatal and postnatal periods. Shedding light on the current challenges in maternal health practices and co-designing an innovative study with Blackfoot women and RNs will identify what matters most to Blackfoot women living in Blackfoot territory and help present solutions for culturally safe maternal health practices.