LGBT in Healthcare - staff and patients

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   jlparkposted 8 years ago

   LGBT in Healthcare - staff and patients
   
   Double question (maybe triple). 1) If LGBT, have you experienced discimination in your healthcare? If LGBT staff, have you experienced discrimination from pts/colleagues? 2)If not LGBT, would you be bothered at all by having a LGBT person caring for you? Would you ask for another carer? All answers are accepted, please note I'm writing something with the answers.

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   Stargrrlposted 8 years ago

   I wouldn't care if the person taking care of me was LGBT.  I would treat them with the same respect I'd give to a heterosexual.

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      Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      "Oh God, ew. You do realize she plays for her own team, don't you?"
      
      I assume you were joking around when you said that then after a hubber expressed attraction to a lgbt hubber. He wasn't serious, i think anyway, so can I assume you weren't either?

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      Stargrrlposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      That statement was totally taken out of context.  It's one thing to to be cared for by a LGBT, and another to have romantic interest in one.  I was implying that he didn't have a chance with her.

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      Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I made sure to give the context though...
      
      Anyway, what is the difference between romantic interest and healthcare of an lgbt person when we are talking about respect for the person?

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      Stargrrlposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      There is quite a bit...but I don't have the space here to explain.  Please believe that it is a horse of a different color.

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   5. 82

      jlparkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for your answer Stargrrl. I may ask a follow up later.
      Link - I saw the original - thought similar to you - different situation - not a pt/carer relationship which is what this was about here.

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      Link10103posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Still feel that its a double standard and/or hugely hypocritical, but I'm pretty sure the topic would derail if I pushed it further.

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   7. 82

      jlparkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Its not uncommon, which one reason why I'd like to write about it for an assignment. However, I'm going on these answers (and an interview with an LGBT EMS) only. Thanks for understanding tho

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   Link10103posted 8 years ago

   If they have all the qualifications required for them to be a caregiver, they could be a purple giant from pluto for all I care. 9 out 10 odds you probably wouldn't even know they are lgbt from appearances alone, unless they are one of the more flamboyant kind of people.
   
   Its almost like saying because a surgeon wears different colored socks, he's not qualified to operate versus the guy who's socks match.

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   1. 82

      Austinstarposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      LOL, some of the caregivers ARE purple giants from pluto!

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   2. 82

      jlparkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for your answer. As a RN who happens to be LGBT, I've always been interested in what those in....less tolerant...areas (like parts of the USA) think of us. Hence my question, and direction for assignment
      Lela - haha...too true at times!

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4. 82

   Austinstarposted 8 years ago

   After working in healthcare for over 30 years, I can tell you that the biggest discrimination is based on ability to pay the bill.
   But aside from that, I first experienced LGBT discrimination way back when the AIDS epidemic began. There were nurses that refused to treat these, mostly gay men. They actually believed that because they were gay, they were being punished by god with this terrible disease.
   Over the years, hospitals had to train health care workers to care for others regardless of race, sexual orientation, religious views and what have you.
   I have even worked where nurses were required to pray over patients because it was ordered by religious doctors who should have known better. (Many of these patients died in spite of the prayers, BTW)
   But even though LGBT discrimination exists on both sides of the caregiver/patient spectrum, it has become less and less obvious at least.
   Someday, a nurse or a doctor and patients will see each other as equal partners in health care. We have come a long way with this!

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      Sarah Siddonsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I agree 100% with respect to "money/coverage talks". I was in healthcare for 20 years leading up to the birth of my daughter and saw everything you are talking about with respect to AIDS as late as 2004 (IN CALIFORNIA!!)

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      Say Yes To Lifeposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Q) How many doctors does it take to change a light bulb?  A) Depends on how much insurance the light bulb has.

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      Austinstarposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Yoleen, that is funny and tragic at the same time. But if you need health care these days, they always ask, "What insurance do you have?" before they ask, "What are your symptoms?". Some won't even talk to you unless you have insurance!

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   4. 82

      jlparkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I live in a country with public Tertiary health care (eg funded) - you can go private if you want to be seen quicker (and use insurance), so the US has always been confusing to me.
      Lela - it has come a long way, I was wondering how far still 2go

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   lisavollrathposted 8 years ago

   I had major surgery two years ago, and honestly, the last thing on my mind through the whole process was the sexual orientation of anyone on my medical team. I wanted the best doctor, and the nurses willing to help me get up and walking as quickly as possible. Gay or straight didn't even cross my mind.

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   1. 82

      jlparkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      As it should be.
      As an RN - its not my pts business that I'm gay, it changes nothing abt my care or skill. It has been asked + I'm always honest if asked directly, or I've mentioned it if it would benefit a pt eg struggling with identity etc

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   Sarah Siddonsposted 8 years ago

   Great question. I had my daughter in Utah 8/19/2014, this was during the 90 day stay on marriage equality in Utah. Add to that......its Utah. Our hospital experience was incredible. We were getting visits from employees that weren't even working in L&D but heard about out awesome family in room 4220. I had a much longer stay since I ended up with an emergency C-section I was there for almost a week. The dads didn't get there until 3:00 am Thursday and she was born on Tuesday night.
   
   The only thing irritating was that I had planned to be alone for the birth and women there didn't understand my choice and gave me "pity eyes" (btw 8 months later I don't regret being alone for a second), after the birth they kept trying to take my daughter to the nursery. After several attempts (may have been the drugs or hormone high) I told them that unless she needed to be in the nursery for a specific reason she want leaving my sight. On the last day we had an administrator come by, in the room was our daughter, her dads (plural) and my Mormon mother, one of the dads asked "surely there have been adoption births here before, what is the "normal" SOP at this hospital?  She told us that the adoptive parents stay in one room with the baby and the birth mother is alone. I knew the answer and watched it bring everyone there to tears except me and our daughter, the administrator visiting with us joined my mom and Hannah's dads passing the tissues.

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   1. 82

      jlparkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      It's Utah - two words explain a LOT! Awesome birth story - at least you stood your ground abt them not taking her. We have a 1yr old + NZ doesn't use nurseries xcept NICU, so I couldn't have let them take her 2 the nursery. Glad yr experience was gd!

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   kj forceposted 8 years ago

   Lesbian, Gay, “Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning....and there are even more...
   When in the Healthcare system as a professional, you would hope and  assume precautions would be taken by an individual of any sexual orientation ..however. . not everyone accepts responsibility for themselves, let alone others..I am straight and worked over 38 years in the Medical Profession,  and have never had  any issues with :.LGBT  or Asexual ..
   I personally would not have an issue with being under their care...
   Through the years I have found certain HCP"s tend to be more Empathetic and Apathetic towards. those needing care, perhaps because they have felt the pain from discrimination, due to their own situations...thought very interesting question....

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   1. 82

      jlparkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks KJ. As an RN who is LGBT, I've never had issues caring for anyone or had anyone have issue with me caring for them. Given many countries are not as forward as my own, I was curious as to other people's experiences. Thanks 4 yr answer.

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8. 84

   gmwilliamsposted 8 years ago

   
   
   It does not matter whether a nurse, doctor, or other type of health practitioner is an LGBT person.  The most important thing is receiving the most humane care in a hospital or other medical setting.  If the person is qualified and offers excellent care, I would not care if he/she was an LGBT person.  People are people regardless of their sexual orientation.

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   Griffin Birdsongposted 8 years ago

   Although I am a trans woman living in Idaho, i haven't experienced any discrimination. This is strictly because I was smart/lucky enough to find the correct providers.
   However, I was only able to remain employed as a caregiver for about five months after beginning HRT before eventually people began to notice and take issue with the idea.
   A middle aged woman ended up calling me out in front of everyone in an enormous facility because I was wearing a bra.
   I clocked out immediately, went home and haven't worked as a caregiver since (though, unfortunately, not for lack of trying).

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