Perceptions of Transgender and Gender Diverse Patients by Nursing Personnel

Backgroundand Aim: The primary goal of care for transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals is to address their somatic, psychological, and social needs holistically while promoting well-being in a manner that affirms and respects their gender identity. Health care provisions should be grounded with respect to the patient and characterized by mutual trust, respect for autonomy, maintenance of confidentiality, and delivery of the highest standard of care. The aim of this study was to examine the perceptions of individuals with gender dysphoria and TGD individuals among professionally active nursing staff, as well as undergraduate nursing and midwifery students.MethodsThis study was conducted via the diagnostic survey method. The research instrument was a questionnaire comprising a sociodemographic section and items assessing knowledge of and perceptions of transgender identity and gender diversity.ResultsThe level of knowledge regarding transgender identity and gender diversity was most frequently assessed by respondents as satisfactory (31%). More than half of the participants (65.1%) reported knowing a transgender or gender-diverse individual, and 37% declared having provided care to such a patient. According to the majority of respondents (82.9%), TGD individuals constitute a group at risk of discrimination and stigmatization, and 56.2% indicated that the Polish health care system does not adequately recognize or respond to their health-related needs. Most respondents (75.8%) reported perceiving TGD patients in the same way as all other patients did, with perceptions being primarily dependent on individual personality traits (82.6%). At the same time, respondents indicated that TGD individuals constitute a group with particular needs related to mental health care (89%) and gender-related health care (60.9%).ConclusionsPerceptions of transgender and gender-diverse individuals among the surveyed nursing personnel were heterogeneous and dependent on sociodemographic variables and levels of knowledge. According to the respondents, TGD individuals experience discrimination and are subjected to prejudice and inappropriate treatment both by medical personnel and within the broader social context.