Chris Muckler, associate professor; Rachel Leonard, DNP '18; and Ethan Cicero, PhD '18; recently published an article entitled "Transgender Simulation Scenario Pilot Project" in Clinical Simulation in Nursing. 

Abstract

Background: Transgender people often experience inequities, discrimination, and violence within health care environments by ill-informed health care professionals. Simulation has been beneficial in increasing students’ knowledge about transgender health issues.

Methods: A transgender simulation scenario was piloted with pairs of students completing an anesthesia preoperative interview with a transgender patient who presents for an emergent surgery. Thirty (42%) of graduate nursing students enrolled in a Doctor of Nursing Practice nurse anesthesia program voluntarily participated in a transgender pilot simulation.

Results: Twenty-eight of 30 participants (93%) completed a presimulation and postsimulation survey with the majority (68%) reporting after the simulation that they had ongoing feelings of incompetence related to the health care needs of transgender patients.

Conclusion: Expanded didactic lessons and simulation experiences that include transgender content can increase comfort levels for both patient and provider as we strive to shift the paradigm toward health care equity for all.