Equitable Obstetrical Care for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community

Research has indicated that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) patients are not always satisfied with their health-care experiences due to the limited training received by the nursing professionals caring for them. The purpose of this study, using critical-theory principles, was to examine how the LGBT population was represented and portrayed in mainstream obstetrical-nursing courses, curricula, textbook, and syllabi. The guiding research question was based on the exploration of how nursing schools in a metropolitan city incorporate LGBT health-care topics in their obstetrical-nursing education. A qualitative, intrinsic case study research method was employed. A purposeful, criterion sample of faculty at a community nursing school in a large urban city was recruited via social media and the school newspaper for the study. Data were collected via 30 document reviews and 10 unstructured interviews with open-ended questions. The data were analyzed by theme analysis and constant comparison. Emergent findings showed that LGBT content was minimal or absent entirely in obstetrical nursing curricula in associate degree nursing schools. The findings of this study indicate many gaps in the obstetrics didactic and clinical curriculum, textbooks, and lecture notes of nursing schools that offer associate-degree programs. A critical finding was the number of faculty and obstetrical students who lack knowledge on LGBT issues including sexual orientation and sexual identification. The results highlighted a number of critical needs for faculty development including how to infuse LGBT content, such as transgender individuals and gender identity, into lesson plans. Related gaps reflect the lower degree of attention to gender identity, as envisaged by obstetrical LGBT patients. Recommendations included quality professional development. As a result of this recommendation, a workshop was developed to train obstetrical faculty. The project will be evaluated using Kirkpatrick’s 4-level models of training criteria. The training program will be a conduit between research and practice by demonstrating diverse ways to understand the LGBT population. This study supports positive social change by empowering future obstetric nurses to reject any practice that will repress, marginalize, and control their patients.