Nuu-Chah-Nulth Nursing Program

hupiimin wiikšaḥiiy’ap
helping us to be well

As nurses, we are professional, fully certified and up to date in our assessment and clinical skills. We deliver care that is done properly, safely and professionally. We take great pride in practicing nursing the Nuu-chah-nulth way.

 Nursing Referral Form

Community Health Nurse Program

Did you know you can refer your pregnant patients to NTC Community Health Nurses (CHNs)  The CHNs can offer supportive and relational care to your patients throughout their pregnancy and postpartum period in the following areas:

• Advocacy and referrals in order to obtain prenatal vitamins and nutrition vouchers
• Planning for and preparation of labour & delivery and new baby care through weekly prenatal classes (or one-on-one)
• Creation of birth plan
• Doppler services to listen to fetal heart (for attachment purposes-not diagnostic)Home or clinic blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring
•  Breastfeeding support and loaner breast pumps
• Safe sleep education and provision of a baby bed box
• Postpartum baby blues and depression screening, support and referrals
• Immunizations for both mother, babe and their family
• Referrals to mental health, child development, dental therapist and others as necessary

Our nurses travel weekly to the outlying communities of Ditidaht (Nitinaht) and Huu ay aht (Bamfield) and can offer supportive services to your patients. We also have an urban clinic for those people living away from their home communities.

Early referrals allow time for nurse-client relationship building and a comprehensive care plan to be established in hopes of creating and supporting positive maternal-child outcomes.

We are an inclusive service and are 100% voluntary. People have the option to choose which services they find valuable to their unique journey.

Home Care Nursing Program 

The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council Nursing program has 12 Home Care Nurses that provide services to the 14 Nuu-chah-nulth Nations on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. More than half of the communities are in remote locations. 

The NTC Home Care nursing program is a coordinated system of home and community‐based health care services that enable Nuu‐chah‐nulth of all ages with disabilities, chronic or acute illnesses and the elderly to receive the care they need in their homes and communities.

The communities receive regular visits from the nurses for the following types of services:

• Home visits
• Assessments for Personal Care & Home Making Services
• Diabetes,  blood pressure, and nutrition monitoring
• Medication Administration (eg., Methotrexate, B12) and Reviews
• Follow ups for Physicians and NP’s
• Referrals as needed to specialists, OT, PT, Palliative Care, Wound Care, etc.
• Comprehensive foot care for frail elders and all diabetics
• Discharge planning from hospitals through the First Nation Advocate Nurse and/or Aboriginal Liaison Nurse and Nurse navigator
• Disability Assessments
• Referrals to Red Cross for equipment loans
• One on one education, health teaching for chronic diseases, especially diabetes.
• Collaborating with Island Health nurses for long-term care assessments for placement to facility
• Monthly elder’s health clinics combined with elder’s luncheons.
• Referrals to other agencies (eg. Alzheimer Society)