Capella FPX 4015 Assessment 4

Capella FPX 4015 Assessment 4

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Capella University

NURS-FPX4015 Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, and Physical Assessment: A Holistic Approach to Patient-Centered Care

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Caring for Special Populations Teaching Presentation

The LGBTQ+ population comprises a diverse group of people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender or queer. Despite progress toward equality, they face particular obstacles to receiving equitable healthcare treatment with respect (Lampe et al., 2023). This presentation examines the health needs, care barriers, and cultural values for members of the LGBTQ+ community. The presentation includes strategies for culturally sensitive nursing care, real-life case examples, and resources that allow nurses to provide improved support to this vulnerable group. 

Introduction to the LGBTQ+ Population 

Members of the LGBTQ+ population show diversity through their identities and experiences, as well as their cultural backgrounds and health requirements. The LGBTQ+ population faces health inequalities despite increased social acceptability in certain areas because they lack proper access to healthcare. LGBTQ+ individuals have experienced healthcare discrimination throughout history because healthcare providers have not received sufficient training about gender and sexual diversity (Lampe et al., 2023).

Lack of trust in healthcare providers combined with limited service utilization leads to increased exposure to mental health issues and mental illnesses, as well as substance use, sexually transmitted infections, and chronic diseases, which affect LGBTQ+ individuals. Lesbian and bisexual women face difficulties in locating healthcare providers experienced in hormone therapy and gender affirming procedures because they often receive insufficient cancer prevention screening. The intersectionality of race, socioeconomic status, and geographic location increases the barriers to care even further. LGBTQ+ youth, especially those whose families rejected them, are more likely to be homeless and face additional health problems, such as depression, suicidal thoughts, and substance abuse (Abramovich et al., 2023).

It is important to understand that delivering respectful, inclusive, and effective care to LGBTQ+ people differs from delivering respectful, inclusive, and effective care to any other population. Advocacy for equitable healthcare, building trust, and creating affirming environments that include honoring patients’ identities and experiences is critical; nurses should be advocating, including creating environments that do not conflate all women as ‘patients of the month’. It is a cultural value foundation that has addressed cultural values, health disparities, and strategies that would promote culturally competent nursing care.

Cultural Values and Beliefs Relevant to Healthcare

There are many cultural values of the LGBTQ+ community that are based on shared experiences of identity, social stigma, and resilience. Authenticity, self-expression, and bodily autonomy are all things that a majority of LGBTQ+ people hold dear, especially in regards to healthcare decisions. It is important to respect chosen names and pronouns, especially of transgender and nonbinary individuals, because it is fundamental to the meaning of their identity and dignity, respectively. LGBTQ+ people have a heightened sense of vigilance and medical mistrust due to historical marginalization and discrimination in medical settings (Veldhuis, 2022). These values make them willing to engage in healthcare services, such as confidentiality, respect, and open, nonjudgmental communication. They may also value inclusive language, representation, and having affirming signage or staff in the clinical environment.

LGBTQ+ culture also has an equal part of community and peer support. Many people have chosen families or LGBTQ+ networks to turn to for emotional support and making healthcare decisions, as their biological families aren’t necessarily supportive. Additionally, spirituality and cultural backgrounds vary widely and may affect how one believes about health, gender, and treatment (Lockett et al., 2022). These values have to be acknowledged and incorporated by healthcare providers, especially nurses, into care delivery. To increase utilization and improve health outcomes for this population, it is critical to show cultural humility, affirm identities, and provide safe and inclusive spaces.

Healthcare Disparities Faced by LGBTQ+ Individuals

Healthcare disparities against LGBTQ+ individuals are largely socially stigmatized, discriminatory, and inflict systemic inequities. On top of these disparities are socioeconomic, social, and cultural determinants like living in economically unstable circumstances, lack of insurance, reduced access to culturally competent providers, and unsafe living conditions for transgender and LGBTQ+ young people in particular (Lampe et al., 2023). A disproportionate number of LGBTQ+ people experience depression and anxiety, and the risk of suicide is also higher, partly because of their exposure to chronic stigma and minority stress, especially for the LGBTQ+ youth who suffer increased bullying, homelessness, and suicidal ideation. In addition, transgender individuals also experience exclusion from gender affirming care; harassment in medical settings; and constricted options for gender affirming procedures, hormone therapy, and providers more familiar with providing it.  

Preventive care is also not equal for LGBTQ+ people. Assumptions about lesbian and bisexual women’s sexual activity often lead to fewer cancer screenings, gay and bisexual men may be at increased risk of HIV and other STIs, but face judgment or discomfort when talking to a provider about their sexual health (Medina-Martínez et al., 2021). However, a lack of provider training and inclusionary policies often perpetuates these discrepancies. This requires systemic changes, culturally competent education of healthcare professionals, and a commitment to health equity and inclusion at all levels of care delivery.

Strategies for Culturally Competent Nursing Care

Culturally competent nursing care for LGBTQ+ individuals begins with fostering a safe, respectful, and affirming environment. Several evidence-based strategies include: 

• Inclusivity: Nurses should use inclusive language, ask about and consistently use patients’ chosen names and pronouns, and avoid assumptions about sexual orientation (Medina-Martínez et al., 2021), gender identity, or family structure. Simple practices like displaying LGBTQ+ affirming symbols or posting nondiscrimination policies can signal a welcoming space.
• The practice of Cultural Humility needs to be prioritized through proper training sessions. Nurses must continuously learn about LGBTQ+ healthcare requirements, which must encompass gender-affirming practices together with HIV protection measures, mental well-being assistance, and minority stress management. Nurses can provide comprehensive patient care when they understand how sexual orientation intersects with gender identity, together with race, as well as socioeconomic status and other variables (Ranjbar et al., 2020). 
• Trauma-informed care must be implemented since LGBTQ+ people routinely face discrimination and violence (Ranjbar et al., 2020). A therapeutic environment depends on maintaining privacy while patients determine their care timeline and having staff who refrain from making judgments.
• Establishing therapeutic relationships with LGBTQ+ patients through trust, active listening, and empathy enables them to actively engage in their healthcare process. 
• Nurses advocate by identifying barriers within healthcare institutions, providing policy support, and referring patients to LGBTQ+ affirming services and related community resources (Medina-Martínez et al., 2021). 

Such care strategies enhance patient health results while protecting the human dignity of each person under treatment.

Case Study: Culturally Competent Nursing in Action

The California Veterans Affairs (VA) clinic runs cultural competency training for nurses and staff that teaches essential skills to deliver respectful care to LGBTQ+ veterans (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2024). The training program includes instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity, together with minority stress and health inequality information. The program stresses the importance of clear communication and supportive language, validating patients during the assessment process. The training enables nurses to recognize their biases better while minimizing discrimination and creating supportive settings. Establishing trust results in enhanced patient-provider connections that produce better health results for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

A colleague of mine described their experience caring for a transgender woman patient who received pneumonia treatment at the hospital. At first, the patient kept herself distant from interacting with healthcare staff. During the patient’s hospital stay, my colleague received and documented the patient’s name choice and her preferred pronouns for constant use. The healthcare team received training on inclusive language and respect for the patient’s identity through her education. With time, the patient developed feelings of security and respect, which in turn enhanced her willingness to take part in her healthcare. The experience proved that LGBTQ+ patients thrive when they receive culturally competent care that respects their identity because it builds strong trust relationships and better health results.

Resources for Further Learning 

Several valuable resources exist for nurses and healthcare providers to help them better understand how to provide culturally competent care to the LGBTQ+ population.

1. GLMA Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality: GLMA offers resources, training, educational programs, and other services to improve the healthcare of LGBTQ+ people. Their website provides guidelines for inclusive care, continuous education opportunities, and patient-centered care practices (GLMA, n.d.). 
2. Human Rights Campaign (HRC): The HRC provides educational resources on LGBTQ+ healthcare disparities, advocacy resources, and best practices for creating healthcare environments that are inclusive of our community. Topics covered include legal and patient care, and their resources.
3. National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center: This center, part of The Fenway Institute, offers training, webinars, and clinical resources for healthcare providers. It aims to improve care for LGBTQIA+ patients, improve cultural competence, and reduce healthcare disparities (National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center, n.d.). 
4. WPATH (World Professional Association for Transgender Health) and other organizations engage in trans affirmative care through providing information such as hormone therapy, surgery, and mental health.  

This resource set provides foundational knowledge, clinical guidelines, and best practices for providing respectful and inclusive care to the LGBTQ+ community.

Conclusion

In conclusion, nurses should implement a culturally sensitive, inclusive method that demonstrates respect for patients’ identities while attending to healthcare inequalities and working to develop patient trust for culturally correct medical care for LGBTQ+ patients. A safer health environment emerges when nurses use active listening skills, inclusive language, and patient advocacy to improve health outcomes. The health of LGBTQ+ individuals improves with both social determinants of health remediation and the establishment of best practices and interrogative guidelines. The wellness and equity improvement of LGBTQ+ people demands nursing leadership in dismantling healthcare barriers.

References

Abramovich, A., Pang, N., & MacKinnon, K. R. (2023). Investigating the mental health outcomes among LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness in York Region, Ontario. Children and Youth Services Review, 155, 107282–107282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107282

GLMA. (n.d.). Resources for LGBTQ+ health equity. www.glma.org. https://www.glma.org/resources.php 

Lampe, N. M., Barbee, H., Tran, N. M., Bastow, S., & McKay, T. (2023). Health disparities among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer older adults: A structural competency approach. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 98(1), 009141502311718-009141502311718. https://doi.org/10.1177/00914150231171838

Capella FPX 4015 Assessment 4

Lockett, G. M., Brooks, J. E., Abreu, R. L., & Sostre, J. P. (2022). “I want to go to a place that’s openly talking about the experiences of people of color who also identify as LGBTQ+”: Cultural, religious, and spiritual experiences of LGBTQ people of color.. Spirituality in Clinical Practice, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.1037/scp0000288

Medina-Martínez, J., Saus-Ortega, C., Sánchez-Lorente, M. M., Sosa-Palanca, E. M., García-Martínez, P., & Mármol-López, M. I. (2021). Health inequities in LGBT people and nursing interventions to reduce them: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(22). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182211801

National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center. (n.d.). Home. LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center. lgbtqiahealtheducation.org. https://www.lgbtqiahealtheducation.org 

Ranjbar, N., Erb, M., Mohammad, O., & Moreno, F. A. (2020). Trauma-informed care and cultural humility in the mental health care of people from minoritized communities. FOCUS, 18(1), 8–15. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.20190027

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2024, March 27). LGBTQ+ Veteran care | Veterans Affairs. Va.gov. https://www.va.gov/central-california-health-care/health-services/lgbtq-veteran-care/ 

Veldhuis, C. B. (2022). Doubly marginalized: Addressing the minority stressors experienced by LGBTQ+ researchers who do LGBTQ+ research. Health Education & Behavior, 49(6), 109019812211167. https://doi.org/10.1177/10901981221116795