Yatdjuligin Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nursing and Midwifery Care

This chapter introduces nursing and midwifery students to the history and current state of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ health. It considers the deficit discourse that is often used to describe Indigenous health, which negatively contrasts Indigenous health with the health of non-Indigenous Australians. The chapter emphasises the importance of understanding the history of Indigenous health, both from pre-colonisation and in the years following. It discusses the recent Uluru Statement from the Heart and the history of the Stolen Generations, and examines the effects on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. The chapter discusses the current health gap that exists between First Nations people and non-Indigenous Australians, and how the Closing the Gap initiative aims to improve Indigenous health outcomes to the level of non-Indigenous Australians. The chapter portrays health as a social justice issue and encourages a human rights approach to health. It concludes by detailing the personal stories of two First Nations nurses to demonstrate the positive effect Indigenous nurses and midwives can have on the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.