Create an LGBTGEQIAP+-affirming healthcare setting

LGBTGEQIAP+ community members have historically experienced hostility in healthcare (Fadus et al., 2020), which means there is an excellent opportunity to design and implement LGBTGEQIAP+ trauma-informed care in the fast-paced, high-pressure environments often associated with acute care settings (Wholeben et al., 2022). Although there are no commonly accepted trauma-informed care definitions nor a standard delivery model, plenty of resources are available to help guide you in the implementation of LGBTGEQIAP+ trauma-informed care in acute settings. Because of the nature of the acute care setting, consider extending your LGBTGEQIAP+ trauma-informed care practices into all healthcare settings. 

To get started, first consider implementing a model. At Indigo Path Collective, we recommend the Human Relations MatrixⓇ, a model initially designed for employee engagement. The model is helpful in this context because it helps you align your LGBTGEQIAP+ trauma-informed care practices to the business strategy and describe the program, systems, training, and communications needed to achieve success. Below are information resources you can consider as you take steps to build your LGBTGEQIAP+ trauma-informed practice in your acute care setting:

Program:

• Guiding Principles: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have done an excellent job of pulling together six guiding principles to a trauma-informed approach. Although this site does not define each of the six guiding principles, the content offered can provide you with the context you need to determine what would work best in the context of your acute care environment. 

• Human Rights Campaign (HRC): The HRC publishes an annual corporate equality index. The companies named on this list have LGBTGEQIAP+-affirming practices. To be named to the index, specific criteria must be reached. You can find those criteria on this site. 

• Trauma-informed care overview: This article provides an overview of best practices in trauma-informed care programs. Although this article does not explicitly define an LGBTGEQIAP+ trauma-informed acute practice, the crucial information offered here, coupled with knowledge of the LGBTGEQIAP+ community and culture, can provide you with much of the know-how needed to design your program. 

System:

• Cultural Competency: An essential step in implementing an LGBTGEQIAP+ trauma-informed care practice is defining what it is. Check out this article by Brittany Bass and Hassan Nagy that spells out critical cultural competencies required to care for members of the LGBTGEQIAP+ community. 

• LGBTGEQIAP+ Patients in Acute Care: Although this article provides excellent information about providing care for LGBTGEQIAP+ patients in acute care, the article focuses on the psychiatric setting. However, much of the information offered can be generalized to any acute care setting in the systemic operation of care delivery in acute care to this population. 

Training:

• Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities (SAIGE): This site offers you a plethora of information, including several online training videos, webinars, and more training resources. SAIGE is currently creating a “Rainbow Certification” if you want to further your credentials in this space.  

• Social Inequalities Explained in a $100 Race: Understanding one’s privilege is essential to understanding the differences in treatment others may have compared to your own. This video does not address the LGBTGEQIAP+ community, which is ironic in that most acute care settings also do not acknowledge this population. However, considering the intersectionality of identity among members of the LGBTGEQIAP+ community, this video is a great starting point for understanding privilege. 

• A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns: Training can include learning outside of the workplace environment. To that end, this inexpensive book, which you can find on Amazon, provides easy-to-understand LGBTGEQIAP+ identity information for learners at all levels. Although the content focuses on non-binary identities, other identities are also discussed. 

Communication:

• Pronouns.org:  Here, you will find information about using pronouns and affirming language, as well as what to do if you make a mistake. 

• Style guide: To ensure everyone uses the same LGBTGEQIAP+-affirming language, consider creating a style guide. You can find a list of common LGBTGEQIAP+ terms on Refinery29. 

You can build your LGBTGEQIAP+ trauma-informed care practice, and we can help. From designing the program to creating your system and providing training and communication with LGBTGEQIAP+ patients, their families, and providers, Indigo Path Collective can guide you toward fully implementing your affirming healthcare practice. 

References

Fadus, M., Hung, K., & Casoy, F. (2020). Care considerations for LGBTQ patients in acute psychiatric settings. Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing), 18(3), 285–288. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.20200002

Wholeben, M., McCreary, R., & Salazar, G. (2022). Validation of trauma-informed care instruments: Emergency Department Environment and Transitional Secondary Environment. Journal of Trauma Nursing: The Official Journal of the Society of Trauma Nurses, 29(6), 282–290. https://doi.org/10.1097/JTN.0000000000000681