The lived experiences of nurses who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ in providing nursing care within an urban prairie setting: an interpretive descriptive study

Abstract

Background: Despite rapid improvement in human rights and protections for people who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ in Canada, discrimination against people who identify as non-heterosexual and non-cisgender occurs. Heteronormativity and cisnormativity prevail within the Canadian health care system and environment nurses work and study. Nurses who identify as being 2SLGBTQIA+ are hypothesized as being one of the workforce's largest subcategories; despite this, there is a shortage of literature on the experiences of nurses who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+. Purpose: This study aims to uplift the voices and lived experiences of equity-deserving nurses who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ in providing nursing care in the urban prairie setting of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Method: An interpretive descriptive qualitative study design was utilized. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded to generate themes describing the experiences of nurses identifying as 2SLGBTQIA+. Minority Stress Theory served as a guiding theoretical framework to provide context in understanding the lived experiences of study participants. Convenience and snowball sampling was used to recruit the sample size of 11 nurse participants. Findings: This study revealed findings related to five themes: discrimination, disclosure, education, allyship, and identity. Discrimination is often covert and witnessing discrimination negatively affected participants. There is nuance in choosing to disclose or not disclose one's 2SLGBTQIA+ identity as a nurse. The onus is often placed upon the oppressed to educate those in power and meaningful content about the health and wellness of people identifying as 2SLGBTQIA+ is needed for nurses and all health care providers. Allyship in practice is actionable and consistent as opposed to the performative allyship often conveyed in practice. 2SLGBTQIA+ identities in nursing are an asset to nursing practice and patient care. Implications: Many implications arose from this research and can be attributed to three areas: nursing practice, nursing education, and nursing research. Within nursing practice, leadership, regulatory bodies, active allyship and the incorporation of EDI is of utmost importance. Formal nursing education and curriculum need to recognize the existence, health, and wellness of people who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+. Education delivered by clinical facilities that nurses work within need be inclusive of the experiences of people who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+. More research is needed to better understand the lived experiences of nurses who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+. Examples include research with underrepresented identities encompassed within the 2SLGBTQIA+ acronym, the experiences of nurses working in diverse workplace settings, the intersection of numerous social identities, and moving from a deficit approach to a strengths-based approach. Conclusion: Eleven nurse participants who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ and work within Manitoba shared their lived experiences that subverts cis-heteronormativity and cis-heteroprofessionalism. Implications for how to improve the experiences of nurses who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ have been identified.