Addressing Racism: An independent investigation into Indigenous-specific discrimination in B.C. health care Health Worker Experiences of Discrimination in Health Care Services

We are requesting your voluntary participation in this survey to understand the presence and extent of discrimination specific to First Nations, Métis and Inuit (hereafter called Indigenous) people in health care services in British Columbia.

The data and information collected by this survey will be held securely by the Investigation team headed by the Independent Investigator. Following the conclusion of this Investigation’s analysis and submission of the final Investigation report, all survey responses will be sealed, and will not be available for any use, including further analysis, editing, research or publication.

All responses are confidential, and privacy will be protected by presenting all survey findings anonymously (no individuals will be identified) in the Investigation reporting and through using best practices to safely store and secure data. Data analysis will occur by Investigation team members only, and individual survey responses will not be shared with any non-Investigation personnel.

For Further Information

If you have any questions on this survey, please contact: addressing_racism@gov.bc.ca.

If you would rather answer these questions by phone than enter your responses online, please call us toll-free at: 1-888-600-3078.

Specific Incident Reporting

This survey looks at your general thoughts about the health system and your experience as an individual working in the health system in BC, either currently or in the past. If you have a specific incident that you would like to report, please email: addressing_racism@gov.bc.ca or call us toll-free at: 1-888-600-3078.

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Support

Should you require cultural, mental health or emotional supports following the completion of this survey, please refer to this list of supports.

Answering the survey questions will not affect your position in your workplace. This survey seeks to benefit Indigenous peoples’ care by providing information which will support the provision of safe quality health care services, and to improve the experience of Indigenous people working in BC’s health system.

Collection Notice: Your personal information is being collected for the Investigation Team by the Ministry of Citizens’ Services under the authority of section 26(c) and 26(e) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, for informing the independent investigation into Indigenous-specific discrimination in B.C. health care. Should you have any questions about the collection of this information please contact: Executive Director, Addressing Racism: An independent investigation into Indigenous-specific discrimination in B.C. health care, PO Box 9484, STN PROV GOVT Victoria BC, V8W 9W6, addressing_racism@gov.bc.ca.

Please mail your completed survey to:

The Investigation Team 5060 Cordova Bay Rd. Victoria, B.C. V8Y 2K4

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Section A: About you Currently, with respect to my occupation, I am: Check all that apply:

Working full time in the health system Working part-time in the health system Working outside of the health system Studying in a health professional program (college or university) full time Studying in a health professional program (college or university) part-time Working as an instructor, faculty or preceptor in a health professional program

(college or university) Not working or studying Working as a volunteer Retired Retired but back in the health workforce On leave (e.g. medical, parental etc.) Other:__________________________________________________

Please do not include any personally identifiable information about yourself or others in your responses.

My primary role in the health system is (select the best answer): Please choose only one of the following:

Allied Health Professional (e.g. PT/OT/RT/SW/SLP/Dietician/Psychologist, etc.)

Clerical Support Administration Dental Health Provider Elder EMT/Paramedic Facilities Management/Trades Food Service Health care Aide or Orderly (hospital) Home Care Aide or Home Support Worker. Health Program Worker (e.g. mental health counsellor, community health

representative, etc.) Housekeeping Instructor, Faculty, or Preceptor Lab Technician/Phlebotomist/Medical Imaging Technician Leadership/Management

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Licensed Practical Nurse Midwife Nurse Practitioner Patient Navigator or Liaison Physician and Surgeon (including Podiatric Surgeon) Registered Nurse Registered Psychiatric Nurse Security Spiritual Health Practitioner Student Volunteer Other: __________________________________________________

Please do not include any personally identifiable information about yourself or others in your responses.

In which province or territory do you live?

Please choose only one of the following:

British Columbia Alberta Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador Northwest Territories Nova Scotia Nunavut Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan Yukon Other: _______________________________________

Please do not include any personally identifiable information about yourself or others in your responses.

In which health authority/region do you work or study?

Please choose only one of the following:

Fraser Health

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Interior Health Northern Health Vancouver Coastal Health Island Health Prefer not to say Not applicable

What best describes where you live?

Please choose only one of the following:

Urban area Rural area Small Rural area Remote area

The location of the majority of my work (including placements of students) is:

Please choose only one of the following:

Hospital/health centre (excluding the emergency department) Hospital emergency department Family practice setting, dental office, community health centre Specialist office Walk in clinic Home health Long term care/residential care Street outreach program Other emergency services (e.g. ambulance or medivac) First Nations or Metis community health clinic, service, or program Allied health professional clinic (e.g. PT, OT, etc.) Mental health or addictions centre Laboratory testing or medical imaging not located in a hospital or health centre Group home Halfway house or prison Other: _____________________________________________________

Please do not include any personally identifiable information about yourself or others in your responses.

Considering your entire career, how long have you worked in the health system?

Please choose only one of the following:

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Less than 1 year 1 to 2 years 3 to 5 years 6 to 10 years More than 10 years

Which best describes your current gender identity?

Please choose only one of the following:

Female Male Non-binary Transfeminine Transmasculine Two-spirit Different identity Prefer not to answer

Do you identify yourself as an Indigenous person, that is, First Nations, Métis or Inuit?

Please choose only one of the following:

Yes No Prefer not to answer

As you identify yourself as an Indigenous person, are you:

Please choose only one of the following:

First Nations Métis Inuit Other North American Indigenous Nation Other Indigenous Nation Prefer not to answer Not applicable

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Racialized people are those who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour. Do you identify as a racialized person? Please choose only one of the following:

Yes No Prefer not to answer

Second B: Witnessing racism or discrimination in Health Care

Discrimination is defined as through action or inaction, denying members of a particular social group access to goods, resources and services.

Racism is defined as a set of mistaken assumptions, opinions and actions resulting from the belief that one group of people categorized by colour or ancestry is inherently superior to another.

Racialized people are those who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour.

Have you witnessed any kind of interpersonal racism or discrimination at work directed to Indigenous patients or their families/friends? Please choose only one of the following:

Yes No Not sure Prefer not to say

Have you witnessed any kind of interpersonal racism or discrimination at work directed to non-Indigenous racialized patients or their family/friends based on their appearance, ancestry, or heritage? Please choose only one of the following:

Yes No Not sure Prefer not to say

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Please review the statements below, and if applicable to the racism or discrimination you witnessed against patients, please indicate how often these were observed by you:

Please choose the appropriate response for each item:

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Organizational or systemic racism allows people to normalize, hide or disguise racism because of the acceptance of these behaviours in the environment of the health service, institution, or society in general. From your perspective, organizational or systemic racism in your workplace is: Please choose only one of the following: Extremely prevalent Very prevalent Somewhat prevalent Non-existent No opinion Not sure Prefer not to say

If organizational or systemic racism exists in your work environment, why do you think that it has not been prevented? Please select up to three responses. Staff are not regularly reminded about the many ways that discriminatory

behaviour can occur Staff are not willing to stand up and call out racially prejudiced behavior of

their peers Lack of accountability by leadership to stop discriminatory approaches or

behaviours Absence of training, or inadequate preparation by, professional colleges on

cultural safety or cultural sensitivity No education provided by the employer which could help understand

Indigenous experiences and the impacts of colonialism and colonial oppression Indigenous patient navigators or liaisons are not effectively promoted as a

resource for patients or staff Indigenous personnel are underrepresented at all levels of the organization. Prefer not to say Other:__________________________________________________________ Please do not include any personally identifiable information about yourself or others in your responses.

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Section C: Personal experiences of racism or discrimination Do you feel that you have personally experienced racial prejudice or discrimination at work because of your Indigenous identity/heritage? Please choose only one of the following: Yes No Not sure Prefer not to say

Please check the following examples of Indigenous-specific prejudice or discriminatory behavior in the workplace that have been directed to you. Please select up to three responses. I feel I am a token Indigenous person when invited to teams or committees Colleagues are resentful because they thought my education was free Colleagues say discriminatory or hurtful comments about Indigenous patients

or Indigenous culture in front of me I am chosen to look after Indigenous patients, not because of my skills and

expertise, but because I am Indigenous I am turned down for courses and other education that would further my skills

and career, while other staff are allowed to participate I feel excluded or isolated from coworkers Information I need to do my job is deliberately withheld Colleagues do not understand that there are differences between Indigenous

groups Prefer not to say Other: _________________________________________________________

Please do not include any personally identifiable information about yourself or others in your responses.

From whom did you experience racism or discrimination at work because of your Indigenous identity/heritage? Check all that apply

Individuals with authority over me Instructors or mentors

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Co-workers or fellow students Individuals working for me Individuals from other departments Volunteers or clergy Patients or residents Family members or visitors of patients or residents Prefer not to say Other: ____________________________________________________

Please do not include any personally identifiable information about yourself or others in your responses.

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To what extent has the experience of racial discrimination at work affected you personally?

Please choose the appropriate response for each item:

Other (please write your answer here): Please do not include any personally identifiable information about yourself or others in your responses.

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Do you feel that you have personally experienced racial prejudice or discrimination at work because of your identity/heritage as a racialized person?

Please choose only one of the following: Yes No Not sure Not applicable Prefer not to say

Please check the following examples of racialized prejudice or discriminatory behavior in the workplace that have been directed to you.

Please select up to three responses.

I feel I am a token person when added to committees or teams Colleagues say discriminatory or hurtful comments about patients of my

ancestry, heritage, or culture in front of me I am chosen to look after patients of my ancestry or heritage, not because of my

skills and expertise, but because I am of the same ancestry or heritage I am turned down for courses and other education that would further my skills

and career, while other staff are allowed to participate I feel excluded, or isolated from coworkers Information I need to do my job is deliberately withheld Prefer not to say Other: ________________________________________________________

Please do not include any personally identifiable information about yourself or others in your responses.

From whom did you experience racism or discrimination at work because you are a member of a visible/racialized population?

Check all that apply

Individuals with authority over me Instructors or mentors Co-workers or fellow students Individuals working for me Individuals from other departments Volunteers or clergy

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Patients or residents Family members or visitors of patients or residents Prefer not to say Other: _________________________________________________________

Please do not include any personally identifiable information about yourself or others in your responses.

To what extent has the experience of racial discrimination at work affected you personally?

Please choose the appropriate response for each item:

Other: (Please write your answer here) Please do not include any personally identifiable information about yourself or others in your responses.

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Have you witnessed other health care workers/personnel experience racial prejudice or discrimination because of their culture, ethnicity or heritage?

Please choose only one of the following:

Yes No Not sure Prefer not to say

Section D: Reporting Racism or Discrimination

From your perspective, what are the reasons that could stop you from placing a complaint with a supervisor in your place of work about racism or discrimination you may experience or witness?

Please select up to three responses.

The health worker union would fight the complaint and any corrective action that came from it

The supervisor also demonstrates racially prejudiced behaviour I don’t want to jeopardize my employment and the potential for advancement It could adversely affect my relationship with my colleagues in the future I don’t think it would change the behavior I saw I wouldn’t be taken seriously / no one would believe me I have seen complaints submitted before, and it did not make a difference in the

workplace I don’t know what the process is for making complaints in my workplace Not applicable, I would make a complaint if I felt it was needed Prefer not to answer Other: _________________________________________________________

Please do not include any personally identifiable information about yourself or others in your responses.

What are the reasons that could stop you from placing a complaint with a BC regulated health profession college or registrar about racially prejudiced or discriminatory behavior you may experience or witness?

Please select up to three responses.

I would be afraid of being seen as a whistleblower

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In the past, the person who I was making a complaint about was involved in the complaint review process

I would be concerned that nothing would happen I would be concerned that the review body would not have the cultural

sensitivity or cultural awareness to understand the racially prejudiced behavior underlying the complaint

I would be concerned that my identity would cause people to not take my complaint seriously

I would be concerned that my identity would be made known to the person I made the complaint against

Not applicable, I would make a complaint if I felt it was needed Prefer not to answer Other: __________________________________________________________

Please do not include any personally identifiable information about yourself or others in your responses.

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Section E: Education and Training

Thinking of your education (either current or past) required for your position in health care, please indicate your agreement with the following about your training:

Please choose the appropriate response for each item:

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Section F: Cultural safety in the workplace

Please rate your agreement with the following statements.

Please choose the appropriate response for each item:

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To ensure safe, quality health care services for Indigenous people, how would you prioritize the following actions:

Please choose the appropriate response for each item:

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Please rate your agreement that the following traditional, customary and/or ceremonial health practices should be options considered when developing a care plan for Indigenous patients.

Please choose the appropriate response for each item:

What needs to change for Indigenous people to feel safe when using health care services?

Please write your answer here:

Please do not include any personally identifiable information about yourself or others in your responses.

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What needs to change for Indigenous people working in the health system to feel safe in their workplace?

Please write your answer here: Please do not include any personally identifiable information about yourself or others in your responses.

Please tell us anything else that you think might be helpful for understanding Indigenous-specific racism or discrimination in the health system.

Please write your answer here: Please do not include any personally identifiable information about yourself or others in your responses.

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Thank you very much for your participation in this survey. If you are experiencing any negative effects from completing this survey, please see this list of available resources and referrals engage.gov.bc.ca/addressingracism/supports for cultural, mental health or emotional supports and services.