Indigenous Nurses Day celebrated by Street Connections patrol
It’s been five years since Jennie Russell started patrolling Winnipeg with the Street Connections Van – an initiative of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, and it was one of the best decisions she’s made in life.
“People are coming to me to seek care,” Russell said.
“The relationship is the greatest thing to have in a community because that builds trust.”
Russell and a colleague operate the van every Monday to Saturday evening from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m. She works with Winnipeg’s vulnerable populations handing out harm reduction supplies, and assisting those who experience barriers to accessing health-care.
“My role is to support people who need some health care assistance with sexually transmitted and bloodborne infections, so any kind of reportable infection to public health,” Russell said.
Harm reduction supplies like glass pipes, needles and Naloxone have become daily items she will distribute on her routes.
“I think right now our bubble pipes -they're glass pipes that we hand out and we give to our partners as well - we seem to be running out of them quite frequently,” Russell said.
“That's probably, the number one thing that people are coming to the van to seek us out for.”
She decided to become a nurse much later in life, and felt nursing was a great way to serve the community. The relationships she’s built on the job connect with Russell on a personal level and she’s reflective on her own lived experience.
“When I was younger, I don't think I was there in the best way possible so it was really important for me to educate myself to be able to show up for people when they needed it,” Russell said.
For organizations in the community, the van remains an important resource. Siloam Mission teams up with Street Connections for weekly needle cleanup. Having partnerships in place creates a safer and more engaged community.
"So one of the things we do here at Siloam Mission and that Street Connections does so well, is create a triangle of trust between somebody that they already know and that they know cares about them like we do here,” said Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud, CEO of Siloam Mission.
“What's really key is that we're bringing services to people where they're at, as opposed to you know, kind of waiting on them to engage with these systems that might be too traumatizing for them to access services in.”
Russell said as she marks Indigenous Nurses Day, it’s a good reminder that Indigenous representation leads to better supports for Indigenous patients.
“Public health has Indigenous designated positions, so I think that's really important too,” Russell said.
“We're on the right track, we've just got to keep building that workforce.”
National Nursing Week runs until Sunday, May 12.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian immigration asks medical worker fleeing Gaza if he treated Hamas fighters
Lawyers are questioning Canada’s approach to screening visa applications for people in Gaza with extended family in Canada after one applicant, a medical worker, was asked whether he had treated members of Hamas.
Helicopter carrying Iran's president suffers a 'hard landing,' state TV says without further details
A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi suffered a 'hard landing' on Sunday, Iranian state television reported, without immediately elaborating.
Walmart, Costco refusing to sign grocery code of conduct 'untenable': industry minister
Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says it's 'untenable' for 'smaller players' like Walmart and Costco to delay signing on to the government- and industry-led grocery code of conduct, now that industry giant Loblaw has agreed to do so.
Robbers made off with 'several million euros' of jewels in armed heist at Harry Winston store in Paris
Armed robbers who used a motorbike as a battering ram made off with 'several million euros' worth of valuables in a heist of the luxury Paris boutique of self-declared 'Jeweler to the Stars' Harry Winston, the French prosecutor’s office overseeing the police probe said.
The secret Italian lakes that most tourists don't know about
Italy has dozens of secret smaller lakes that boast superb scenery, unknown to mass tourism, where locals get together on day trips and enjoy picnics.
What we've learned so far in the Trump hush money trial and what to watch for as it wraps up
Testimony in the hush money trial of Donald Trump is set to conclude in the coming days, putting the landmark case on track for jury deliberations that will determine whether it ends in a mistrial, an acquittal — or the first-ever felony conviction of a former American president.
Woman killed in Montreal's Saint-Michel district: ex-husband arrested
Less than 24 hours after Montreal's 12th homicide investigation began, Montreal police confirmed that a 55-year-old woman's death in St. Michel is the island's 13th homicide.
Serious boat crash kills 3, injures 5 on the Buck Bay area of Bobs Lake: OPP
Three people were killed and five others were injured Saturday night following a boat crash on the Buck Bay area of Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont., the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said.
Ottawa driver who appeared to be racing another vehicle on Highway 416 facing charges
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says an Ottawa driver is facing charges after being caught going 187 km/h on Highway 416.