My values in healthcare have changed as I have taken on new opportunities. My heart lies in supporting the most vulnerable and marginalized communities and populations. Moving from hospital nursing to community nursing helped me discover the gaps in our healthcare system. Primary care is a passion of mine, and I believe that with wrap around supports in the community, we can help keep clients out of the hospital. Another value I appreciate is low barrier care; Often, for marginalized folks, having to access numerous referral points, commit to set appointment times, and simply navigate the system ends in disappointed clients and missed opportunities. Having walk-in services, wrap around care and dedicated follow up with outreach helps support those who fall through the cracks. To tie in the conversation below regarding universal healthcare; I do not believe Alberta has universal healthcare. I would also argue that health care should include numerous domains of health; social, medical, spiritual and psychological. A few examples of why our healthcare system is not universal enough to support the vulnerable;
-bills for ambulance rides costing a few hundred dollars.
-birth control that is not funded publicly
-even those on AISH or AB works do not have coverage for therapy sessions.
It is the work of non-profits that help support those populations. However, non-profits also often have their hands tied. They are bound by funding agreements and commitments to turn out high numbers of clients. It is difficult to imagine a simple solution, or one that will make all stakeholders happy. However, I continue to hold hope in our future leaders (some of which might be in this course!).
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