No consideration for gay patients

rph3664 · Apr 1, 2008

One of my co-workers subscribes to a journal (it was shrink-wrapped so I didn't pick up to look at the article) about long term care, and the most recent issue had an article about how to deal with elderly gays and lesbians.

People don't think those people exist but they do.

czyja, MSN, RN · Apr 2, 2008

People don't think those people exist but they do.

You bet they do! And there are more and more aging out LBGTG senior in need of care. There was an extensive discussion about this issue on another Allnurses forum some time ago.

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · Apr 2, 2008

There was an interesting article about just that in this month's Advance for Nurses.

Fermin Hernandez, ADN, ASN, RN · Apr 6, 2008

There is so much info to cram, I don't think that gay consideration is needed in nursing school. What special needs do they have that normal sex people don't?

Why would this school churn out professionals who are anti-gay? :confused:

czyja, MSN, RN · Apr 6, 2008

What special needs do they have that normal sex people don't?
Why would this school churn out professionals who are anti-gay?

Nursing schools do not churn out anti-gay professionals. Rather, people leave nursing school with the assumptions and prejudices they had when they started unless these assumptions and prejudices are addressed.

FYI - gay people are quite "normal" and "normal sexed." Folks that generally have intimate relations with members of the opposite sex are called "straight" in modern parlance.

As for "special" considerations - I dunno that there are any. But there sure are "considerations." For example - gay and lesbian partners often do not have the same automatic legal rights afforded to married people. Many LGBTG have experienced considerable discrimination - this has an impact on the way they might interact with their nurse.

Fermin Hernandez, ADN, ASN, RN · Apr 6, 2008

Hmm, I didn't even realize that I used "normal". Maybe I am a little more biased then I thought :uhoh21:. I'll have to think on that a bit.

I see your point on the legal considerations, but they are just that - legal. For what its worth, I do think that gay people should be afforded the right of legal marriage by law in every state.

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · Apr 7, 2008

Let's not turn this into a gay marriage debate.

I think that everyone pretty much has a grasp on the issue of gay domestic partnership access limitations, and devoting time to it in NS would not be productive. As far as particular gay/lesbian "considerations," I don't see any nursing-related ones, other than emphasizing care and compassion for all patient groups.

AprilRNhere · Apr 7, 2008

I would have thought that special consideration to discussion about gay relationships in nursing school WOULD be considered politically incorrect. If they're teaching how to treat male and female pt's and what to test for...then why are special considerations needed? If they are monogomous..straight or gay...there are less risks than if not.

Our school never really discussed gay/straight..but they went to lengths to discuss "nonjudgemental nursing" and I feel that was fine.

justme1972 · Apr 7, 2008

Yes...I am very, very supportive of the gay community, but I also don't see where gay patients need "special considerations", and as a person who has alot of gay friends, I can't think of any.

The only thing that needs to be considered, is what a nurse assesses about EVERY patient: Do you have family? (which can be any kind of family...by blood or not) A significant other? Will you have help/support when you get home? Do you have someone to drive you after a surgery?

Other than being non-judgemental....what else is there to understand about gays versus straight patients?

They are people, in need of treatment. If you work in OB, you'll have two mommies, but other than the nurse learning not to drop her jaw when she may witness a kiss between two members of the same sex...I can't think of anything else.

Gays have fought so hard to be treated like everyone else...so what you are suggesting contradicts that.

PS: On the STD issue, gays have also fought hard not to be stereotyped for people not to assume they are sexually promiscuous and all carry HIV....in nursing school, we are taught to treat EVERY patient, as if they have HIV and never assume ANY patient (gay or straight) is STD free.

Fiona59 · Apr 8, 2008

I've worked with many homosexual patients. Lesbian Mums on post partum and gay men on surgical wards. The main thing to remember that they are human beings with fears and needs like any other patient. I usually ask all my patients if they have anyone to help when they get discharged. You can often figure it out just by body language when you walk into the room. But basically it comes down to I really don't care what your sexual preferences are, just that you make good choices.

Don't judge me because I wear the white dress and hose uniform. It's my choice and I'm not Nurse Ratchit. My first patient commendation came from the partner of a patient with AIDS and rectal cancer. I just treated them like any couple with questions, took the time to make sure my patient had his meals on time and was looked after. They gave me a rainbow flag pin when they went home. I saw their marriage announcement the other year. My Mums were great, often it was the visitors that were "loud and proud" and they made everyone uncomfortable.

So don't assume that nurses have any more hidden agendas than those of the patient and their visitors.

alkaleidi · Apr 8, 2008

I go to nursing school in Indianapolis, IN and my school never discusses special considerations for homosexual patients. Many problems do have special considerations that would have to be taken into mind if the patient were a gay. I am gay and I think it is slightly offensive. I feel like the education that my school is providing will churn out the type of "professionals" that will perpetuate the discrimination against gay patients in the healthcare market in America. Does anyone have any thoughts?

I don't think that by not specifically addressing considerations for homosexual patients your school will necessarily churn out prejudice nurses -- they will just be uninformed. Have you asked questions at appropriate times? For example, when discussing STDs or cancer or what not, ask "Are there any considerations that apply more to the gay community than the community in general?" Does your nursing program put on a health fair for the community? If so, choose a topic that will address something specific to the gay community to help open both your fellow students AND instructor's eyes... I think that it was Ghandi that said something like, "You must be the change you want to see in the world." You'd be surprised how ignorant people are (not ignorant in an insulting way, but merely uninformed, unaware, and oblivious) and how welcoming they are to new information!

AirforceRN, RN · Apr 8, 2008

I don't think we will ever see a "Are you heterosexual or homosexual" question on the admit forms...imagine the uproar.

I too am curious what these "special considerations" would be. What would we, as a nursing population, possibly offer to gays that we don't offer to straight people? I can kind of grasp the STD issue mentioned earlier but even that...the patient tells you they are gay and so you go and order a slew of STD tests? I don't really think that's necessary or ethical.

My school had TONS and TONS of classes on females...abuse, pregnancy, cancer (all the different types and self image issues involved), strengths, types of learning etc etc. Not one class on prostate cancer, not one mention of erectile dysfunction, maybe a vague passing regarding testicular cancer. I was upset about this but different schools have different learning goals...