Simulation for Mental Health Care Providers Treating Transgender Veterans: A Practice Improvement Project

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Identifier 2019_Garso
Title Simulation for Mental Health Care Providers Treating Transgender Veterans: A Practice Improvement Project
Creator Garso, Daemon
Subject Advanced Practice Nursing; Education, Nursing, Graduate; Mental Health Services; Transgender Persons; Health Status; Health Services for Transgender Persons; Gender Identity; Veterans; Minority and Vulnerable Populations; Social Discrimination; Social Stigma; Bias, Implicit; Social Determinants of Health; Simulation Training; Health Personnel; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Cultural Competency; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Surveys and Questionnaires; Quality Improvement
Description Background: Transgender patients, including transgender veterans, face structural and personal discrimination in every level of society. The same discrimination is well documented in healthcare settings despite policies and education in universities and employment settings that encourage cultural competency and equity in treatment for all patients. This is evidence of inadequate educational and professional training and exposure to work with this patient population. Methods: This practice improvement project included a brief educational lecture and simulation which was designed, piloted, and implemented to improve mental health provider knowledge and comfort working with transgender veterans. Survey data were collected before and after the simulation. Debriefing was completed with trained experts after each simulation scenario. Results: Four, racially diverse, mental health professionals participated in this simulation. In a survey with a score range of 25-100 points, knowledge and comfort scores improved from 73.17 (SD=12.56) to 83.61 (SD=10.75). Survey data showed simulation to be educational (EPQ avg = 4.1/ 5), well designed (SDS avg = 4.08 /5), and satisfactory (SSCL avg = 3.9/ 5). Conclusion: This project helped participants feel more comfortable and knowledgeable working with transgender veterans by providing instruction on best practices, then encouraging the use of these practices in a safe, non-judgmental environment - simulation. Prior to simulation, participants all felt underprepared to take a complete sexual history, a standard element of initial assessments. Designing standardized patients to include unique demographics are helpful in improving cultural sensitivity training while practicing universal skills like taking a sexual history.
Relation is Part of Graduate Nursing Project, Doctor of Nursing Practice, DNP
Publisher Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, University of Utah
Date 2019
Type Text
Rights
Holding Institution Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, University of Utah
Language eng
ARK ark:/87278/s6t489m5
Setname ehsl_gradnu
ID 1428495
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6t489m5
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