Attitude of nurses towards humanized care in critical areas for patients with gender identity

Abstract

Introduction: Nursing professionals must combat discrimination, gender gaps, and inequalities in the provision of health services in order to guarantee safety and dignified treatment. Therefore, we proposed to analyze nurses' attitudes toward humanized care for patients with gender identity issues in critical areas.
Methods: This was a qualitative study with a phenomenological design and descriptive scope. Twelve nurses from critical care services in public and private institutions in Ecuador participated, selected by snowball sampling. The information was collected through semi-structured interviews conducted via ZOOM. This was analyzed using the Colaizzi method, as well as the integration of Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ).
Results: 3 categories were obtained: 1. Factors that hinder care for patients with gender identity; 2. Impact on humanized care, quality of care and clinical evolution; 3. Humanized care for patients with gender identity in critical care services.
Conclusion: The lack of training on gender diversity is a significant obstacle in humanized care, which is affected by prejudice, stigmatization or lack of knowledge; therefore, nursing staff attitudes have a direct and significant impact on care, quality of care and clinical evolution. A respectful care approach contributes to a better experience, which translates into higher levels of satisfaction and, in many cases, improved mental and emotional health or unstructured, no longer than 250 words; written in the past tense and in the third person singular.