An Assessment of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health Competencies Among Bachelors-Prepared Registered Nurses in Graduate-Level Study

Evidence-Based Education on Care of LGBTQ Patients: Improving Knowledge and Attitudes Among Pediatric Nurses

BACKGROUND

Due to stigma and mistreatment, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) patients and their families often face barriers to accessing and receiving equitable health care. Pediatric settings are not immune to this health inequity, yet there is limited literature to address it with pediatric nurses.

METHOD

An evidence-based education program on the care of LGBTQ patients was delivered electronically to pediatric nurses. Using a pre- and posttest design, knowledge and attitudes regarding care of LGBTQ patients were collected via online questionnaires.

RESULTS

Knowledge significantly increased from pre- to posttest (p = .02). Attitudes related to LGBTQ concepts either remained consistently positive or shifted in the positive direction.

CONCLUSION

Providing education regarding LGBTQ patients to pediatric nurses can improve related knowledge and attitudes. Expansion of evidence-based LGBTQ education to pediatric nurses is likely to contribute to lessening the health care barriers and inequities faced by these patients and their families. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2024;55(4):181-186.].

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Preventive Care Utilization, and Patient-Nurse Trust Relationship Among Sexual and Gender Minority Individuals

BACKGROUND

Individuals who identify as sexual and gender minorities often experience high rates of adverse childhood experiences and encounter discrimination and stigma in their interactions with healthcare providers, leading to low utilization of healthcare services. However, the relationship between adverse childhood experiences, preventive care utilization, and trust in nurses among sexual and gender minority individuals remains unclear.

PURPOSE

This study explored the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and preventive care use and assessed the potential interaction effects of trust in nurses between adverse childhood experiences and preventive care use among individuals from sexual and gender minorities.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design was used. A sample of 160 self-reported individuals from sexual and gender minorities completed an electronic online survey. Multiple linear regression and moderation analyses were conducted to examine the association between adverse childhood experiences, preventive care utilization, and nurse trust.

RESULTS

There was a significant negative relationship between adverse childhood experiences and preventive care utilization. There was also a significant positive relationship between trust and preventive care utilization. The results also indicated that trust in nurses moderated the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and preventive care utilization among sexual and gender minority individuals.

DISCUSSION

A significant relationship was found between a high prevalence of adverse childhood experiences and low healthcare service utilization. Strengthening the trust relationship between nurses and sexual and gender minority individuals could serve as a potential intervention point, leading to improved health outcomes for this vulnerable population. Hence, enhancing trust in nurses could be a key factor in increasing healthcare service utilization and overall health outcomes.

Performance of Family Health Strategy Nurses in LGBT+ Healthcare

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the role of Family Health Strategy (FHS) nurses in the health care of LGBT+ individuals.

METHODS

This qualitative study is based on Institutional Analysis. Data was collected in August 2021 through semi-structured interviews with 14 Family Health Strategy nurses from municipalities in the state of São Paulo. The data was processed using the IRaMuTeQ® software and analyzed lexically.

RESULTS

The textual corpus gave rise to three themes, which addressed the nurses' practice, the difficulties and challenges they face in providing care to LGBT+ individuals, and the direct association of LGBT+ individuals with sexually transmitted infections.

CONCLUSION

Lack of preparedness, access to information, and the need for expanded listening skills are still gaps in the performance of FHS nurses in caring for LGBT+ individuals. However, fostering acceptance and building strong relationships have been effective strategies in bridging the gap in nursing care for the LGBT+ community.

Outcomes of LGBTQ culturally sensitive training among civilian and military healthcare personnel

BACKGROUND

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) military servicemembers are at higher risk of developing health problems compared to heterosexual peers. To improve outcomes and address negative attitudes, previous literature has recommended education of healthcare personnel. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the knowledge and skill outcomes of an LGBTQ cultural sensitivity training program.

METHODS

We used a pretest/posttest design. Participants completed the Ally Identity Measure (AIM) to assess three subscales: knowledge and skills, openness and support, and oppression awareness. Participants included both military and civilian healthcare personnel from multiple disciplines. Descriptive statistics and pairwise analyses were used.

RESULTS

A total of 101 participants answered both pretest and posttest. Across all AIM subscales, posttest scores demonstrated statistically significant (P < 0.001) increases from mean pretest scores. Completion rates for the pretest and posttest were 99% and 93%, respectively. The majority of participants were female (75%) and non-Hispanic (87%), composed of Caucasians (39%) and Asians (33%). Over one-third (39%) of participants were aged 30-39. Fifty percent were active-duty military and more than half (58%) of all participants did not have prior training in LGBTQ patient care. Statistically significant differences were found between the pretest and posttest scores for the knowledge and skills subscale (M = 2.64-3.70). The most significant increases were observed in Item 12 and Item 15 (M = 2.72-3.70) regarding awareness of theories and skill development to provide proper support, respectively.

CONCLUSION

These significant findings contribute to the currently limited research exploring LGBTQ cultural sensitivity training in both civilian and military settings. To our knowledge, this is the first time a cultural sensitivity training of this depth has been provided to active-duty servicemembers. Further research and development of similar educational programs integrating interactive participation can potentially aid in the delivery of improved care and military readiness for all servicemembers.

Inclusivity in Graduate Nursing Education: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Advancing inclusivity in graduate nursing education is paramount for preparing diverse nursing leaders to mobilize change within health care and educational systems. This scoping review examined inclusivity in graduate nursing education.

METHOD

CINAHL, Medline, and ERIC databases were searched for studies published in English since 2011. Key journals and reference lists of included studies were hand searched. Included studies focused on inclusivity in the context of graduate nursing education.

RESULTS

Data from 31 included studies are presented. Most of the studies (n = 22) aimed to cultivate inclusivity among students, primarily through cultural competence training. A few studies enacted inclusivity through program-level strategies (n = 4) or explored the lived experiences of diverse students (n = 5).

CONCLUSION

Future research and education initiatives should advance a more holistic, intersectional approach to cultivating inclusivity, as well as emphasize enacting inclusivity through strategies to transform the learning environment. [J Nurs Educ. 2022;61(12):679-692.].

The Current Contexts of Newly Graduated Nurses’ Competence: A Content Analysis

Producing and sustaining a competent nursing workforce is imperative to protect the public. Identifying current issues and trends in nursing competence can strengthen insights and provide direction for the future nursing workforce. A summative content analysis was performed; PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus were searched for content from the last ten years. A total of 3225 titles and abstracts regarding nursing competence were identified and analysed using the big-data analysis software Leximancer. Five themes were discovered from the analysis: (1) standardisation of nursing competencies with emerging competencies, (2) assessment competency levels, (3) graduates’ expectations and achievement, (4) safe and quality practice with teamwork, and (5) competency curriculum development. This found standardised nursing competencies, which suggests prioritising which core competencies should be focused on during education to produce competent generalist professional nurses, and employers could help nursing graduates improve their competence in specialised areas. This review also suggests that further education strategies should be developed to better prepare graduates for culturally safe practice to meet the needs of diverse minority populations and for informatics competency during the COVID-19 pandemic. Competence assessment methods must be extensively investigated to measure nursing competencies both longitudinally and cross-sectionally.