After attending this lecture, I have learned many new things that I can include in my practice when I become a nurse about gender affirming care. I have learned to respect everyone’s wishes and privacy. As a nurse it is very important to listen closely to your patients and be an advocate for them. When a patient discloses what they wish to be called or announce their pronouns to you, it is very important to establish a good rapport with the patient that you follow by their wishes and relay them to other members of the healthcare team. It is not the job of the nurse to judge anything about the patient, it is their job to improve their health and be there for them for whatever they may need.
What I can bring forth in my future practice that I have learned in this lecture is to always listen and to respect your patient no matter who they are or where they come from. It is not your place as a nurse to discriminate or judge for any reason about the patient. It shouldn’t matter where they come from or what they choose to be called, all that matters is that they are your patient, and they need medical care. There are many resources that exist in this area such as MaineQueerHealth which is an organization that focuses on improving the LGBTQ+ communities’ access to health care in the greater Portland area but also in other areas in Maine.
