Respectful Care for Transgender and Genderqueer Patients
When treating any patient, nurses aim to be respectful. However, there can sometimes be uncertainty about the right approach when working with transgender or genderqueer individuals. Jennifer Flynn, CPHRM, Risk Manager with the Nurses Service Organization (NSO), shared insights on this important topic.
How should a nurse find out if a patient is transgender?
A nurse may or may not know whether a patient is transgender or genderqueer, and depending on their role, it may not even be medically necessary to know. For example, if a patient presents with an upper respiratory issue, there is no need to ask about gender identity or perform a genital exam.
The key is to treat every patient with dignity and only seek out information relevant to the medical care at hand.
👉 Read an edited version of the interview on DailyNurse.
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