Anna Richardson, MPH, BN, is the Bachelor of Nursing Program Leader at the Ara Institute of Canterbury in New Zealand.
Her primary research focus is on the concept of family, called “whanau” in Maori (the language of indigenous New Zealanders). The Maori people hold a broad concept of whanau, which can include one’s biological family and family that unite for a purpose. Within this context, she focuses on cultural safety in primary health care delivery and nurses’ responses to natural disasters. Given Anna’s leadership role at the Ara Institute, she is also an expert in nursing education.
Anna has used the Calgary Family Nursing Assessment Model and is exploring research opportunities to use the Meihana model, which is a tool designed specifically for use with Maori patients and their families/whanau. In all her work, she incorporates cultural safety concepts.
Her research aims to illuminate the practice of registered nurses working with Maori families/whanau and promote the concept of family/whanau in undergraduate nursing education to develop students’ ability to “think family.”
Anna recently had the opportunity to visit Minnesota State University, Mankato, USA where she engaged in research with Dr. Sandra Eggenberger and joined the IFNA International Research Cluster focusing on “Nurses’ Descriptions and Practices of Family Engagement in Intensive Care Settings: An International, Multi-site Qualitative-Descriptive Study.” While learning from colleagues at Minnesota State University, Mankato, she was inspired to incorporate family elements into nursing education simulation activities at the Ara Institute. Now, in their department, they have formed multi-patient simulations and added family/whanau to existing simulations.
For more information, contact IFNA member Anna Richardson at [email protected]
