The relevance of health promotion to diverse populations is an essential issue for nurses interested in developing and delivering inclusive and culturally acceptable health care. In the Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center, where I work, the dominant resident is the Hispanic population. According to GLMA (n.d.), since the patient’s cultural relevance is vital to improve their health in this healthcare facility, in addition to biophysical information, the questionnaire should contain cultural questions. The questions relate to a person’s linguistic characteristics, cultural values, beliefs, lifestyle, religious and spiritual factors. For example, What is your country of origin? What ethnic/cultural group do you identify with? or Do you speak, read and/or understand English or another language? Moreover, the center has an interpreter who can help the patient at any time.
In many medical institutions, including where I work, there are difficulties in providing medical care to LGBTQ clients associated with health insurance. According to Levitt et al. (2020), LGBTQ + people are less likely to have health insurance than their heterosexual counterparts. Furthermore, the wording of the insurance plan may exclude usual and transitional care. For example, hormonal treatments and surgery are often not covered. Thus, there is a problem of lack of coverage for medically necessary gender-based care. For example, a trans man who needs gynecological care may be denied health insurance. In this situation, it is needed to raise this issue at the administrative level and improve legislation. The nurse should be prepared to offer assistance with insurance and, if necessary, free services.
In Sara’s case, the nurse has an enormous responsibility to establish a high level of trust between the LGBTQ client and the healthcare provider. To create an inclusive clinical environment, you can post LGBTQ client-friendliness materials on the clinic walls or attach a rainbow pin. From the description of the symptoms, it can be concluded that Sarah is depressed. GLMA (n.d.) notes that lesbians can experience chronic stress due to discrimination. In this regard, Sarah needs to express her feelings. To do this, the nurse should ask more open questions. It is also essential to use inclusive language. It means choosing words that help build trust and avoiding phrases that create barriers to care. Confidentiality is an equally important aspect since, after making sure that it is preserved, the patient will reveal himself to the medical professional.
References
Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) (n.d.) Creating a Welcoming and Safe Environment for LGBT People and Families. Cultural Competence Webinar Series – Part 2. Web.
Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA). (n.d.). Ten things Lesbians should discuss with their healthcare providers. Web.
Levitt, N., Klingenstein, K., & Reiss, E. (2020). Enhancing clinical skills in caring for LGBTQ+ clients in a hospital setting. Web.