Healthcare Workers from Black Communities - Deeply Caring and Compassionate!
A Statistics Canada study released in 2020 that used data from the last three censuses showed that one in three Black women work in the health and social services network. And, among Haitian women, it’s one in two! What’s more, it’s not just first-generation immigrant women who work in healthcare; it’s also their daughters and even their grand-daughters! Our institution’s human resources are no exception. Our facilities are staffed by a large number of workers from Black communities.
“My mother worked as a home support helper then as an orderly. Among the family members of my generation, three of us are nurses, one of whom works in the Far North, and three are orderlies,” says Woodeline Dorlean, a nurse of Haitian descent and Manager, Postnatal and Transition to Community Support Services at St. Mary’s Hospital Center (SMHC). “Our communities are tightly knit. We support and watch out for one another. As a result, working in the healthcare network is a natural extension of that,” adds Ms. Dorlean.
Diversity is prevalent throughout our organization. This reality, according to Ms. Dorlean, has a tremendously positive impact on the multidisciplinary teams, which are called upon to interact with people from other cultures and to be more open and tolerant of others. Diversity makes it easier to build trust with our users and to ensure clearer communication with regards to the administration of care and treatments. Sometimes, removing the language barrier is all it takes to improve our interventions,” she adds.
While a large proportion of Black community members work in a number of healthcare settings, especially in Montréal, few are in management positions. “I’m proud of our CIUSSS, of its diversity and its willingness to provide career advancement opportunities for individuals of ethnically diverse backgrounds. When I meet young professionals from my community, I strongly encourage them to pursue their studies, to sit on committees and to have their voices heard so that they can move into leadership roles,” explains Ms. Dorlean.
Montréal’s Haitian community has also created several community organizations to support the work that is being undertaken by healthcare institutions across Québec. Among them is the Ralliement des infirmières et infirmières auxiliaires haïtiennes du Canada (RIIAHC), co-founded, among others, by Maud Pierre-Pierre, a retired nurse from SMHC and current president of the RIIAHC. In addition to partnering with Québec health professionals to promote health within the Haitian community, the organization’s mission involves lending Haitian nurses the support needed to update their knowledge and skills as well as support them through various health initiatives in the field. Another fine example of this community’s altruistic spirit!
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to take part in the many activities celebrating Black History Month that will be taking place in our facilities throughout the month of February. A cultural calendar, conferences and much more is available on the Black History Month website!