Community Health Programs
Community Health Nurses
The Community Health Nurses deliver comprehensive health promotion, public health and disease prevention programs for health concerns identified by Aboriginal communities. These programs are designed in partnership with community members and leaders and help to create environments that support good health practices for individuals and communities.
Community Health Nursing:
- Provides curative, restorative, palliative homecare and early detection services. Remote and isolated primary nursing care provides immediate access for urgent and emergent episodic care. Benefits include improved health status, stable chronic illness and improved quality of life for Stó:lō Nation members.
- Assesses, develops, delivers and evaluates, using models of health promotion and best evidence, Community Health Nursing programs in partnership with community participants, making recommendations on program priorities and needed resources.
- Uses culturally sensitive community development strategies to partner with community members to identify and address their shared health concerns. Builds on existing community strengths to maintain and enhance good health practices.
- Advocates for individual and system wide access to needed program to deal with health issues and promotes healthy public policy.
- Provides teaching and learning that provides health education to increase knowledge and develop life skills conducive to individual, group, and community health. Addressing clients’ learning needs and selects appropriate teaching/learning strategies to meet needs.
- Establishes inter-sectoral partnerships that involve individuals and communities in collaborative relationships with health care professionals, community organizations, volunteer service organizations, etc., to help address broad determinants of health (income, social status, education, employment, and work conditions).
Our Community Health Nurses make home visits to our communities with resources available in all of our services from infancy to elders. Community Health Nurses also promote wellness, prevent illness, and identify good health practices for our Stó:lō communities.
Our Community Health Program offers the following:
- Health Education workshops
- Health and baby clinics
- Immunization promotion and administration
- Hearing and vision screening
- Pre-/post-natal care
- Promotion of good nutrition
- Diabetes-related programs
- HIV/AIDS programs
Click here to view Baby Time drop-in info
Click here to view Leq'a:mel Walking Club info
Community Health Workers
The Community Health Worker performs the following functions:
- Community advocacy, empowerment, and participation
- Health promotion and protection
- Illness and injury prevention
- Communication and education
- Cultural Liaison
- Teamwork, partnerships, and collaboration with other sectors
- Coordination, management, and administration
- Administration of Non-Insured Health Benefits:
- Care Card Applications
- Medical Transportation
- Inform you of Non-Insured Health Benefits
- Provide Health Awareness Workshops
- Assists Community Health Nurse at Clinics
- Schedule immunizations with CHN
- Bring outside resources to your community or family
- Assist you with Prenatal & Postnatal Requirements
- Refer you to Pediatrician, Family Doctor, Nurse Practitioner, Home Care
- Promote and inform of other health services, including diabetes programs
The primary goal is to assist community members to make healthy lifestyle choices and help clients become independent. This goal is achieve by using health knowledge and skills encompassing the physical, emotional, mental, and physiological health of the Stó:lō people.
Nurse Practitioner
Nurse Practitioners (NP) can manage common acute and chronic illness and offer preventative health education and planning to help patients be as healthy as possible. NPs offer holistic health assessments and treatment plans and encourage clients to take an active role in health care decisions.
Nurse Practitioners collaborate with all members of the health team such as: nurses, doctors, occupational health therapists, pharmacists, physical therapists, etc. If community members do not have a family Doctor, or would prefer a female practitioner, consider transferring your medical records to our Nurse Practitioner's care.
Nurse Practitioners are licensed through the College of Registered Nurses of BC (CRNBC) which is regulated by the Health Professions Act. Nurse Practitioners can:
- Diagnose
- Prescribe medication
- Order tests (blood work, ultrasounds, etc)
- Manage illnesses & Pregnancy
Nurse Practitioners in Stó:lō Nation Territory:
Ginny Hind, NP:
Ginny is at the Sumas First Nation Clinic on July 26, 2010. Please call to reserve your appointment at 604-585-5910.
Click here to download Ginny Hind's brochure.
Dana Jones, NP:
Dana will be holding clinics on-site (Building 7, 7201 Vedder Road) every Thursday and Friday, from 9:00am-3:00pm, starting August 5 and 6, 2010.
Click here to download Dana Jones' schedule.
Appointments for all Nurse Practitioners can be made by calling Sto:lo Nation Health reception at 604-824-3200. Please let the receptionist know if you would like a:
- General Appointment
- Well Women's exam
- Well Men's exam
Children's Oral Health Initiatives
COHI is a dental initiative designed to prevent and control tooth decay in young First Nations and Inuit children and to set the stage for a lifetime of healthy teeth.
Why Do We Need COHI?
- First Nation and Inuit children aged 0 to 7 years old.
- Parents/Caregivers of children aged 0 to 7 years old.
- Pregnant women.
- COHI works to improve dental health for children to reduce the risk of oral surgery under general anesthetic.
- Also to encourage parents and caregivers to:
- Clean their children's teeth
- Keep their own mouth healthy
- Give children healthy drinks and snacks
- Use only milk or water in baby bottles
- Practice good feeding habits
- Enroll their children in COHI
- Visit dental professionals regularly
Home & Community Care Program
Home & Community Care Program provides the following for community members who are referred by their doctor:
- Wound management by RN
- Home visits
- Health teachings
- Referrals to other health services, i.e. OT assessments for walkers, wheelchairs, etc
- Home support with regards to managing chronic conditions
- Personal care with baths/showers at home or the Century Tub at Stó:lō Health Centre
- Foot care
- Blood sugar & blood pressure monitoring
- Intake-client/home assessments
- Therapeutic care, including emotional support, pain management, supportive care
Eye Clinics
Eye clinics are set up every month. The optometrist is Dr Ahmad.
Admin support will ensure if you are eligible for an eye exams and glasses.
Call front desk for appointment at 604-824-3200 or 1-877-411-3200.
Clinic dates for the remainder of 2010:
- Tuesday July 27
- Tuesday August 31
- Tuesday September 21
- Tuesday October 26
- Tuesday November 30
Pediatricians
Our Pediatrician comes in once a week from 9am to 12pm on Wednesday mornings. Pediatricians are Dr. Harries and Dr. Ebash who alternate Wednesdays. The pediatrician will see children, birth to 18 years of age.
They do not need referral from family physician or if it is an emergency.
To make an appointment, people must contact our health facility at 604-824-3200 or 1-877-411-3200.
Xyolhmettsel Syemyem (Parent, Child Assistant Program)
Xyólhmettsel Syémyem translated to English Means, “I am protecting my pregnancy.” The Program is a model of the Parent Child Assistance Program The program will:
- Assist mothers in improving their lifestyle by incorporating the Stó:lō Culture and traditions.
- The mothers will get a better understanding of their roles in their families and communities.
The Goal of Xyólhmettsel Syémyem
The goals of the program are:
- To assist mothers to build and maintain healthy independent lives
- To promote a safe environment and appropriate health care for the children
- To prevent future births of alcohol and drug affected children.
- To assist mothers in obtaining treatment maintaining recovery and resolving problems associated with their substance use.
- To effectively link families with community resources, including cultural people
The Xyólhmettsel Syémyem Approach
- Advocates will provide assistance and long term support to women who are making fundamental changes to their lives and follow the mother and child for three years.
- Advocates will ASSIST clients to:
- Identify personal goals
- Obtain alcohol/drug treatment
- Stay in recovery
- Choose a family planning method
- Improve the health of the child including up to date immunizations
- Connect with service providers
- Transportation to appointments
- Resolve system service barrier
