The Serious Illness Conversation Guide (SICG) is a powerful communication tool for health care providers when talking to patients facing a life-limiting illness. However, when it was presented to nurses working in First Nations communities, it was not seen as culturally safe.
Collaborating with the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), BCCPC undertook a process to adapt the SICG based on what we heard from nurses and Elders in First Nations communities. Their shared experiences and insights were the cornerstone of the work to adapt the SICG to be an effective and culturally safe tool.
The adaptation collaboration project also yielded an article published in a special edition of the International Journal of Indigenous Health entitled Honouring the Sacred Fire – Ending Systemic Racism towards Indigenous People. Our article was entitled “Adaptations to the Serious Illness Conversation Guide to Be More Culturally Safe”.
BCCPC and FNHA also collaborated on creating a video to share with health care professionals to provide guidance in preparing for and having a serious illness conversation with people from First Nations Communities. The video (Serious Illness Conversation Guide – Adapted Version) premiered at Circling Together for Wellness: Indigenous Storytelling to Transform Health and Knowledge Systems, a virtual conference hosted by FNHA on June 23, 2022.
For more information on the Serious Illness Conversation Guide and other resources for health care providers: https://www.bc-cpc.ca/all-resources/hcp-resources/
