Supporting LGBTQ+ Students: A Focus Group Study with Junior High School Nurses.

LBGTQ+ students often miss the support and information they need in the school nursing, but little is known about junior high school (JHS) nurses' work with LGBTQ+ students. 15 JHS nurses were interviewed in focus groups about their perceptions of supporting LGBTQ+ students. Four interconnected themes were identified with inductive thematic analysis: (1) JHS nurses' professional identity and practice; (2) Recognition of sexual and gender diversity in school; (3) Family acceptance process; and (4) LGBTQ+ students as school nursing clients. JHS nurses self-identified as accepting professionals, but having limited skills, knowledge, and education needed in supporting LGBTQ+ students. Supporting LGBTQ+ students is a complex phenomenon, and to enhance JHS nurses' competence in providing care for these students, sexual and gender diversity needs to be included in evidence-based nursing information sources, covered in nursing education, and the school needs to be secured as LGBTQ+ safe place.

LGBTQ+ Students' Experiences of Junior High School Nursing in Finland: A Qualitative Study.

Previous research shows that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, and other (LGBTQ+) students can experience substantial emotional- and health-related issues at school, but research into LGBTQ+ students' experiences of school nursing is limited. This qualitative study describes the experiences of Finnish LGBTQ+ students engaging with junior high school nurses. Data were collected from 35 LGBTQ+ students using an online survey tool comprising of a set of open-ended questions. Two interconnecting themes were identified following thematic analysis: (1) junior high school nurse engagement: a mixed or unsatisfactory experience and (2) LGBTQ+ students' needs for diversity-affirming junior high school nursing. Findings show that LGBQT+ students felt junior high school nurse engagement was often unsupportive with issues around their sexuality and gender identity. LGBTQ+ students expressed the need for diversity-affirming information and support in school settings. Further research from school nurses' perspective is needed to increase understanding of this topic.

Encountering sexual and gender minority youth in healthcare: an integrative review.

AIM: To describe the encounters with sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth in healthcare based on the existing research. BACKGROUND: The development of sexual orientation and gender identity can create challenges in an SGM youth's life, and they may need support from health professionals. Heteronormativity has been recognised as a barrier to the identification of diversity in sexuality and gender, and no previous literature review has studied heteronormativity thoroughly. METHODS: An integrative review following Whittemore and Knafl was conducted. A literature search was systematically undertaken in six databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Eric, and Academic Search Premier). Finally, 18 research articles were included. Data were analysed deductively with the theoretical framework from Stevi Jackson's (2006) article to understand the role of heteronormativity in the healthcare of SGM youth. FINDINGS: The encounters with SGM youth consisted of two simultaneous themes. Heteronormative care included three elements: (1) the effect of heteronormativity on health professionals' competence to work with SGM youth, (2) false assumptions about SGM youth, and (3) the influence of heteronormativity on encounters with SGM youth. Diversity-affirming care included two elements: (4) the considerateness of health professionals towards SGM youth and (5) inclusive care of SGM youth. CONCLUSION: This review summarised how SGM youth were encountered in healthcare and how heteronormativity was affecting their healthcare. Furthermore, this review identified elements that supported diversity-affirming care. With diversity-affirming care, SGM youth may access the information and support they need from healthcare. Further research is needed about how diversity-affirming care can be applied to the healthcare of SGM youth and how elements of heteronormative care are occurring globally in the healthcare of SGM youth. The perceptions of transgender and other gender minority youth were under-represented in the studies and research needs to focus more on how they are encountered in healthcare.