It’s important to approach members of the LBGTQ community with respect and use their preferred pronouns. This is because many people in the LBGTQ community have experienced discrimination and violence, and using their preferred pronouns is a way to show that you’re an ally.
When providing care to LBGTQ patients in emergencies, it’s essential to be aware of the unique challenges they may face. For example, some transgender patients may not have updated their ID documents to reflect their current name and gender identity, leading to confusion and delays in care. It’s also important to respect a patient’s privacy rights – for example, asking permission before disclosing their HIV status to others.
By respecting and understanding the unique challenges LBGTQ patients face, you can provide the best possible care in emergency situations. This respect falls under professionalism and is thus critical to offering ethical medical care. Being respectful can build the relationship required to provide excellent patient care.
For this episode our host Andy Little is joined by Patricia Capone (who leads the conversation), and guests Katie Holmes and Carlos Jaquez to discuss this important topic!
Listen to the Episode
Resources on this topic:
- https://www.aliem.com/teaching-lgbtq-health-10-clinical-pearls/
- https://www.emra.org/globalassets/emra/publications/books/transgendercareguide-final.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6457356/
Medical Student Resources you should check out:
- The American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians- Resident and Student Organization:https://acoep-rso.org/
- CORD’s Osteopathic Emergency Medicine Applying Guide: https://www.cordem.org/globalassets/files/student-resources/applying-guide—osteo.pdf
- ALiEM’s EMBound Student Newsletter: https://www.aliem.com/em-bound/
- EMRA’s Medical Student Newsletter: https://www.emra.org/students/newsletter-articles/
- EM Over Easy’s other Med Students Over Easy content: https://emovereasy.com/med-students-over-easy/
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