Smudge bundles introduced across Prairie Mountain Health facilities
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Prairie Mountain Health is expanding access to Indigenous cultural practices within its facilities through a smudging initiative aimed at reducing barriers for patients and families seeking traditional ceremonies during hospital stays.
The health region says a smudging ceremony policy is now in place across PMH facilities to guide staff in supporting clients and families who wish to smudge while receiving care. Designated smudging areas have been established in many facilities to meet ventilation and safety requirements, while newer PMH buildings have incorporated spaces and ventilation systems that allow smudging to occur in many patient rooms.
Prairie Mountain Health Indigenous Health has also created 27 smudge bundles for use in acute care facilities throughout the region. The bundles are available to patients who request access to smudging during their stay.
Individuals interested in smudging can ask staff, including nurses, for a referral to an Indigenous Health Patient Advocate, who can help arrange ceremonies and provide access to the bundles.
Awareness efforts have included patient advocate visits, posters displayed throughout facilities and discussions at Services to Services meetings with First Nation communities to help share information about the availability of smudging within health-care settings.
Requests for smudging are typically directed to patient advocates or spiritual care staff, while PMH staff can also make referrals through the Indigenous Health email system when patients request ceremonies.
The health region is now preparing an additional 20 smudge bundles for distribution to long-term care facilities, with the goal of eventually providing at least one bundle in every PMH facility.
Each smudge bundle contains the four traditional medicines including tobacco, sage, cedar and sweetgrass. Each also comes with a shell used as a smudge bowl, matches and a container for storing ashes until they can be properly offered.
» Winnipeg Sun