Fulfilling the promise of TRC Call to Action 24 : Continuing education for perioperative nurses in Canada

Background: The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Call to Action 24 calls for healthcare providers to develop competencies in Indigenous health and cultural safety. Continuing professional development (CPD) courses have been widely implemented to support this goal; however, the extent to which these courses support competency development in practice remains unclear. Objective: This project evaluated Indigenous-focused CPD courses aligned with TRC Call to Action 24 to examine their educational design and their ability to support competency development relevant to perioperative nursing practice. Methods: A structured comparative evaluation design was used to evaluate three Indigenous focused CPD courses. Courses were analyzed using three complementary frameworks: the Quality Matters Continuing and Professional Education Rubric, the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing Cultural Humility and Cultural Safety Standards, and the AAC&U Intercultural Knowledge and Competence VALUE rubric. Analysis focused on instructional design, alignment with TRC knowledge domains, and the depth of intercultural competency development. Results: All courses demonstrated strong alignment with TRC Call to Action 24 knowledge domains and relevant competency frameworks. Instructional approaches supported knowledge acquisition through didactic content and reflective activities. However, there was limited evidence of structured opportunities for learners to apply, receive feedback on, or demonstrate competencies in practice. Variability in instructional design and alignment across courses contributed to inconsistent opportunities for competency development. Overall, learning was primarily positioned at the level of knowledge acquisition, with a gap identified between competency exposure and demonstrated competency. Conclusions: While Indigenous-focused CPD courses are addressing key content areas aligned with TRC Call to Action 24, they remain largely focused on knowledge-based learning. Strengthening CPD through the integration of application, feedback, and evaluation strategies is needed to support competency development in practice. Enhancing opportunities for competency demonstration may better support perioperative nurses in delivering culturally safe care and contribute to ongoing efforts toward reconciliation in healthcare.