THUNDER BAY— A Lakehead University nursing student has received a provincial award for a program assisting new moms.
Fourth-year student Brianna Decontie worked in Maniwaki, Que. in January and February adapting a five-week mothers' support group for Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Health and Social Services.
The program, offered to first-time mothers, focuses on oral health care and embraces Indigenous teachings such as the medicine wheel and sacred medicines.
For her efforts, Decontie was presented with the Excellence in Professional Nursing Practice Award by the Council of Ontario University Programs in Nursing.
"I was excited when my professor and the director of nursing contacted me to say they had nominated me and then I was even more excited to learn I was the recipient of this award," she said.
Decontie was a summer student at Kitigan Zibi Health and Social Services in 2016 and 2017.
"The maternal child health nurse and I created the weekly mothers support group as part of our programming. Since then the group has really grown and I was able to share my traditional Anishinabe health teachings and crafts with the mothers on my placement from January to February," Decontie said.
The program was based on the Ontario health ministry's Give Your Child A Health Happy Smile initiative.
Decontie will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree next month, and has already started as a nurse in Sioux Lookout.
LU Director of Nursing Karen Poole said she sees the award as "a strong recognition of the impact that a young Indigenous nursing leader like Brianna will have on guiding nursing practice towards improving the health of our Indigenous people."
