The impact of education on healthcare provider's confidence and competence in LGBTQIA+ patient care

Problem: Many healthcare providers report feeling underprepared to care for patients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual, and other identities (LGBTQIA+). The limited inclusion of LGBTQIA+ content in nursing curricula contributes to ongoing disparities, including delayed care, misdiagnoses, and decreased patient trust. Purpose: This project aimed to assess the impact of a targeted educational intervention on improving healthcare providers' self-perceived confidence and competence in delivering culturally affirming care to LGBTQIA+ patients. Methods: A structured training session was delivered during a nursing grand rounds event, with over 300 licensed healthcare providers participating. Surveys were administered before the session, immediately after, and 60 days post-intervention to evaluate knowledge of retention and clinical application. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics from Likert-scale items and thematic analysis of open-ended responses. Results: Post-intervention analysis demonstrated significant gains across all domains, with Top 2 scores increasing by 50-75 percentage points from baseline. At the 60-day follow-up, competence remained markedly higher than pre-training levels, with only modest erosion observed (10-15% in communication and documentation domains). Conclusions: Brief but intentional educational efforts can significantly enhance LGBTQIA+ cultural competence among healthcare providers. Findings support the integration of simulation-based and interactive learning into continuing education and pre-licensure nursing programs to promote inclusive, affirming care and reduce health inequities affecting LGBTQIA+ populations

Author dc:creator

• Hooks, Justin

Contributors dc:contributor

• Lourens, Gayle

• Sexual minorities--Medical care
• Medical personnel--In-service training
• Medical personnel--Psychology
• Clinical competence
• Confidence

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

dnp:84
oclc:1570815539
local:R_5cw7gqfSsbxLg8d

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:d.lib.msu.edu:dnp_84