"I don't feel like I'm a person": Nursing knowledge of transgender care through the lens of transgender people.

AIMS

One aim of this study was to discover and understand the perceptions of healthcare delivery for transgender people who have had interactions with nurses while receiving care. An additional purpose of this study was to identify if these perceptions of nursing knowledge have an influence on transgender individuals seeking future healthcare.

DESIGN

Qualitative, interpretive description.

METHODS

Recruitment of participants and interviews took place between September and November 2020. Confidentiality and protection of human participants was prioritized, and data analysis concluded in early 2021.

RESULTS

Ten participant interviews were completed until data saturation were determined. One overarching theme and five supporting themes were constructed from data. Based on participant experiences, these themes reflect transgender peoples' perceptions of nursing knowledge of transgender care and how these perceptions impact seeking future healthcare.

CONCLUSION

Experiences that shaped transgender peoples' perceptions of nursing knowledge of transgender care varied depending on the locations of these services and the experience and understanding of registered nurses. These findings highlight the perceptions that transgender people have of registered nurses' knowledge of transgender care and the influence that those perceptions have on them seeking future healthcare.

IMPACT

This research aimed to fill a gap in the literature viewing registered nurses' knowledge of transgender care through the lenses of transgender participants. These findings indicate the need to advance the nursing profession to provide equitable, nonjudgmental care to transgender people to minimize the health disparities that they continue to face.