Cultural safety and First Nations health content within tertiary education for undergraduate health-care students: A scoping review.
Vicki Tillott, Stuart Barlo, Michelle Donelly and 2 others
PMID 40129184WHAT IT FOUND
First Nations health content is widely included in undergraduate health degrees but delivered inconsistently.
Assessment focuses on student knowledge and attitudes rather than demonstrated cultural safety in practice, leaving a gap between what graduates learn and how they work.
Key findings
01Delivery of First Nations health content varies greatly in mode, duration, and integration, with no consensus on the most effective method.
02Assessment tools measure self-perceived knowledge and attitudes but fail to directly evaluate the ability to practice in a culturally safe manner.
03Occupational therapy and nursing were the most frequently identified programs incorporating this content, driven by national accreditation standards.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The review only included English-language peer-reviewed articles, potentially missing Indigenous-led research or pedagogies. It did not contact authors for additional information, relying solely on published text. The studies included were heterogeneous, ranging from surveys to case studies, making direct comparison difficult. The review did not examine the actual clinical practice of graduates, only the educational content they received. Most included studies focused on perceived knowledge and attitudes rather than objective measures of clinical competency.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that graduates from health programs with 'cultural safety' content are clinically competent in providing culturally safe care. The review found that assessments measure self-perceived knowledge and attitudes, not observed practice, and there is no evidence linking these curriculum innovations to improved health outcomes for First Nations peoples.