Samantha Cardinal
Bachelor of Nursing
We wanted to take this opportunity to share Samantha Cardinal’s experience with everyone. Samantha is from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation, Treaty Six Territory and is the daughter of Sam and Earlene Cardinal.
She is in the Bachelor of Nursing Program at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta. Samantha was accepted to take her 3year clinical practicum in Hawaii as part of the 4 week long international placement called the Global Indigenous Child Health Field School course (NURS3124). This practicum is part of MRU’s School of Nursing program that offers experiential learning to connect local and global indigenous children’s health. Students are learning how indigenous ways of being and knowing inform their role to promote child health under the guidance of Elder Francine Dudoit, Director, Traditional Hawaiian Healing at the Waikiki Health Centre.
Mount Royal University’s 3rd yr Bachelor of Nursing Students receiving a warm welcome as they arrive in Hawaii. Samantha Cardinal is standing in the back row in the middle.
Samantha Cardinal (5th from left or 4th from right), 3yr Bachelor of Nursing at Mount Royal University
“Not only has the work in the school and drop in center been inspiring, but also the additional experiences when we are not attending clinical. I had the opportunity to attend a Global Health discussion with fourth year nursing students at the University of Hawaii. Our discussion focused on indigenous and Migrant Health. I was so nervous but I was proud to share my experiences as a First Nations individual and a member of Saddle Lake Cree Nation. I think I surprised everyone when I introduced myself as Cree. This experience has also inspired me in wanting to learn and share more by attending as many conferences as I can and joining the Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada so that I can advocate for our community.”