Gender-affirming approaches to health care

Students in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program learned about gender-affirming approaches to health care during the school’s DNP Enhancement and Enrichment Programming, which brings together students in all DNP specialties for one day each semester to foster learning, engagement and leadership.

Clinical Professor Sheila Smith, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, FAANP, provided an overview of gender care practice guidelines and discussed the differences of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. She noted that in Minnesota 43% of people who are transgender reported having attempted suicide, which is 27 times higher than the general public, and that 15% reported being denied health services based on transgender or gender-nonconforming status.

“Transgender and gender non-conforming people face enormous social burdens, health disparities and decreased access to care, all of which affect their quality of care and contribute to increased morbidities,” said Smith. “Gender-affirming care is crucial to effective health care relationships, appropriate clinical management and for care that contributes to an aligned identity.”

A panel discussion, with a provider, a parent and a woman who is transgender, provided insight to students about the difficulties that transgender and gender non-binary patients experience navigating the health care system. Jordan Volness spoke about her childhood and the difficulties in obtaining gender-affirming health care growing up in Fargo, North Dakota. It wasn’t until she moved to New York City that she began hormone therapy. Linda Jo Volness discussed her experiences as Jordan’s mother and as a psychiatric and mental health clinical nurse specialist in Fargo. Ejay Jack shared his perspective as a care coordinator for M Health’s Comprehensive Gender Care initiative, specializing in coordinated care for transgender and gender non-binary patients.

More than 400 students attended the school’s DNP Enhancement and Enrichment Programming (DEEP), representing the 12 specialties the school offers. The Dean's National Board of Visitors was also in attendance.