SON engages in LGBT Health and Wellness Competency Certificate
Launched last year, the LGBT Health and Wellness Competency Certificate Series offers relevant and crucial information and discussion on the provision of compassionate and competent care to members of the LGBT community and is available to all HSC students, faculty and staff.
An estimated 11 million Americans identify as LGBT. There are a myriad of challenges facing these individuals when accessing medical care. Fifty-six percent of lesbian, gay, and bisexual patients and nearly 70 percent of transgender patients report experiencing discrimination when seeking care in our nation's hospitals, doctor's offices, emergency departments and other health care settings. These negative experiences lead patients to avoid health care providers, widening the gap to health disparities for the LGBT population at large. The LGBT population has higher rates of clinical depression, suicide, cardiovascular disease, obesity, addiction disorders and some forms of cancer. Nurses can be a positive force for changing this trend.
As leaders of patient-centered care. nurses play a vital role in ensuring that LGBT patients are receiving competent and sensitive treatment., More than 60 School of Nursing students have participated in sessions with many of them on their way to earning the certificate at the end of the year!
Attending four sessions over the 2014-15 academic year earns participants a Certificate in LGBT Health Wellness Competency. All sessions take place from noon to 1 p.m.
Date: January 6
Topic: Transgener Health
Presenter: Dr. Ryan Combs, LGBT Center
Location: SOM Room B0202
Date: February 24
Topic: Ethical and Legal Issues in LGBT Healthcare
Presenter: Dr. Kyle Brothers, medical ethicist
Location: TBA
Date: March 13
Topic: LGBT Mental Health
Presenter: TBA
Location: TBA
Date: April 13
Topic: LGBT Health and Wellness Competency Certificate graduation celebration lunch
Location: TBA
Interested HSC students, faculty or staff who are unable to
attend a lunchtime presentation may complete up to one online module through
the Genway Institute to earn credit toward certification.
Full details about the series are available on the LGBT Center’s website at http://louisville.edu/lgbt/lgbt-hsc.
Questions about the Certificate Series can be directed to Stacie Steinbock: Stacie.steinbock@louisville.edu.
