The first National Nursing LGBTQ Health Summit was held at the Columbia University School of Nursing Nov. 21 and Nov. 22. It included deans and leaders from prominent U.S. nursing schools as well as representatives from professional organizations, including the American Academy of Nursing, American Association of Colleges of Nursing and National Institutes of Health. The Nursing LGBTQ Summit Advisory Board organized the summit.
Summit participants took the first step to creating a national plan to improve healthcare for LGBTQ Americans. They discussed strategies for raising awareness of LGBTQ health within the nursing profession and in nursing education, research and practice.
“The U.S. nursing profession lacks guidelines for the care of LGBTQ people, partly because it lacks the evidence upon which to base such recommendations,” said Tonda L. Hughes, PhD, associate dean, global health, Columbia University School of Nursing, and leader of the summit. “This makes it difficult for nursing faculty to know what to teach nursing students and for practicing nurses to deliver high quality, culturally appropriate care.”
Based on discussions at the summit, a white paper or individual papers that address LGBTQ health will be published, and a national LGBTQ health action plan will be developed.
Additionally, a forum allowing participants to connect and plan collaborations will be created.
“The size of the nursing profession, and the fact that we’re in nearly every healthcare setting and health sciences center, means that we should be leading this movement,” said Dr. Hughes.
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