Providing gender-affirming care in healthcare : an educational video for encountering gender diverse individuals in healthcare

Abstract

Gender-affirming care is generally thought of as care procedures that gender diverse individuals, or gender minorities get. While these procedures are a focus for gender minorities, historically gender majorities have been getting different types of gender-affirming care to this day. Working in gender healthcare often requires sensitivity and awareness towards varied populations, including gender minorities. While education regarding gender diversity isn’t yet commonplace. The purpose of the thesis is to help bridge a gap for healthcare workers to learn basic theory and methods which may help to encounter gender diverse individuals in care by creating an accessible educational video for healthcare students and workers alike.

The thesis was implemented by creating the background theory for the educational video, narrowing down the subject and creation of the educational video. The educational video was then independently viewed by students from a nursing class in OAMK, as a part of their course on transcultural nursing. To evaluate the video and its contents, 3 students answered the feedback Webropol survey.

The survey analysis indicated that all students learned something new from the video and thought the methods could be used in practice. The students rated the video on being very clear and understandable, while increasing the students’ confidence on encountering gender diverse individuals. However, the feedback showed that the video could be more exciting. Based on these findings, the educational video may be an excellent tool for students and healthcare professionals alike, to learn about gender-affirming care and its theory while increasing confidence to encounter gender diverse individuals in care and increasing better client-centered care for these individuals. Future developments could include ways to practice the contents of the video on a practical level to further learn and gain confidence in caring for gender diverse individuals.