Authors

  1. Cozonac, Kathy MSN, RN

Article Content

Clinical instructors are at the frontlines of educating nursing students, and treating transgender patients may present challenges. For many of us in health care, including instructors, this may be a new and unfamiliar territory. The transgender population is less likely to seek preventive care because of perceived prejudice, and they may be wary because of prior health care interactions that eroded trust. Clinical instructors can promote awareness of this population's potential disparities and teach students to honor patient rights, with special regard for patient self-identity. To provide exceptional patient care to this population, instructors can use role-playing scenarios to help students control their body language in patient encounters. Such scenarios should cover issues transgender patients may face: (1) ask discreetly what name and pronouns the patient prefers. Using the patient-chosen name and pronouns reflects best practice and builds trust. (2) Ask respectfully how the patient identifies and be prepared for the answer to be more complex than male or female. Gender expression and gender identity are not always the same and not always binary. (3) Recognize that physical gender and psychological gender are sometimes different (eg, gender dysphoria, genderqueer, nonbinary gender). Patients require compassionate nursing care regardless of their physical and psychological gender. Culturally competent care promotes the dignity, integrity, and self-determination of all patients and families. When we respect our patients by accepting their self-identification, we build trust and create a safe space.