LGBTQ+ Health Community

  • 1.  LGBTQ+ welcoming environment- what is your workplace doing?

    Posted Tue August 30,2022 09:04 PM
    Current recommendations ask primary care offices, specialty offices, and hospitals to create welcoming environments for LGBTQ+ patients. What is your institution doing to ensure a welcoming and competent LGBTQ+ practice/environment?

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    Erik McIntosh, DNP, RN
    Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
    Chicago, IL
    U.S.A
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    2024 Congress ER


  • 2.  RE: LGBTQ+ welcoming environment- what is your workplace doing?

    Posted Fri March 31,2023 05:35 PM

    I am currently attending the Midwest Nursing Research Society annual conference! We had a very important discussion yesterday about what could be done to increase LGBTQ+ visibility at a large conference such as this one. Our groups pitched really great ideas including adding pronouns to name badges and introducing yourself with them. Also, we discussed support for an official statement from the organization uplifting LGBTQ+ voices and their importance in our society. We also noted how important it is to include in nursing education (both in clinical and research classes) the tools to use inclusive language and support for inquiry into LGBTQ+ topics as they are just as interesting as other areas of nursing research. I think these can be generalized to many other situations and institutions as well.



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    Allison Walsh
    Research Assistant
    East Lansing MI
    United States
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    2024 Congress ER


  • 3.  RE: LGBTQ+ welcoming environment- what is your workplace doing?

    Posted Thu April 13,2023 08:55 PM

    Thanks Allison for these great ideas! 

    I like the idea of an official statement from the Midwest Nursing Research Society. The NIH and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have called for increased visibility and research in LGBTQ+ health and for LGBTQ+ individuals to be part of that research team. 

    What other organizations do you think would be important to have statements from? 

    Erik



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    Erik McIntosh, DNP, RN
    Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
    Chicago, IL
    U.S.A
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    2024 Congress ER


  • 4.  RE: LGBTQ+ welcoming environment- what is your workplace doing?

    Posted Fri April 21,2023 11:22 PM

    This is an interesting topic, especially for the rural environment. While my rural critical access hospital has been very supportive, it is weird in the region. I work in a very conservative area. Interestingly, over the past year, I have had no problems with patients or family members. The staff has been pretty good as well. It helped that our CEO, who is also an NP and DNP, made it clear that she was supporting my transition. My colleagues on the medical staff have been decent as well. 

    We have not had any patients come through that I am aware of. In this section of the rural west, folks may not disclose much, so who really knows what goes on? Interestingly though, while I have not had any problems with patients or families, it has been interesting in reactions. Last year I took care of a patient who had really horrible covid. He was stabilized, and rehabilitated. This was before I had come out completely. Roll forward 7 months later. He shows up in the ER with a hand laceration. I was fully presenting as female. I went in and sutured his wound, and gave him the discharge instructions. The nurse went in to review the instructions and the guy asks where I was using my old name. The guy had no clue it was me. She told him that he had just seen me. It was comical, although, I never take it for granted. The best thing I can advise is for anyone who is transitioning and working clinically is to be professional, be kind to the patient and family, and be empathetic. Better to be known as a great provider. Then being transgender is not as much of an issue. 

    I hope all of this made sense.



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    Katie Foster DNP, AGACNP-BC, ENP-C, FNP-BC, CEN
    Emergency Nurse Practitioner
    Sundance WY
    United States
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    2024 Congress ER


  • 5.  RE: LGBTQ+ welcoming environment- what is your workplace doing?

    Posted Sat April 22,2023 09:31 PM

    Thanks for sharing this Katie. Rural LGBTQ health care is a course in itself! So many unique challenges! I'd be more than happy to work with you on a curriculum around this population! 

    Thanks for sharing your personal story. To be recognized for our clinical skills and personal reactions is what breaks down barriers and misconceptions about LGBTQ individuals. Yours is a great example. 

    Erik



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    Erik McIntosh, DNP, RN
    Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
    Chicago, IL
    U.S.A
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    2024 Congress ER