The Lived Experience of Clinical Staff Nurses Who Provide Care for Transgender Patients in Florida

Background: Historically, transgender patients have experienced challenging interactions with healthcare providers. As a result, many transgender patients refuse to seek medical attention for a broad spectrum of healthcare needs. Although the transgender population has gained attention, a lack of research exists of clinical staff nurses’ lived experiences providing care for transgender patients. Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological inquiry was to uncover and understand the experiences of clinical staff nurses when providing care for transgender patients in Florida. The research question was this: “What is the lived experience of clinical staff nurses who provide care for transgender patients in Florida?” Philosophical Underpinning: The Gadamerian Hermeneutic Phenomenological approach guided this qualitative study through the lenses of interpretivism, intersectionality, and critical theory. In addition, Swanson’s caring theory was applied with reference to the themes and supported the findings of this study. Methods: Recruitment invitations were sent to nursing organizations, and eighteen clinical staff nurses who cared for transgender patients responded and were interviewed with an interview protocol of semistructured questions. A short demographic survey was administered, and interviews were held face-to-face, by telephone, or by Skype® at participants’ preference. The interviews were transcribed, followed by a second interview if necessary to clarify data or ask questions of the participants. The data were analyzed with qualitative procedures and themes extracted, accompanied by exemplar quotations from participants. Results: Nurses had a wide range of years of experience in practice and in treating transgender patients. Four themes were identified: (a) Treating with Equality, (b) Misgendering, (c) Interacting with Confidence, and (d) Self-Assessing Awareness. Conclusions: Nurses shared their experiences honestly and in detail. Their daily nursing practice with reference to transgender patients showed their applications of Swanson’s caring theory processes. All participants agreed that more education on this patient population is essential. The findings should add to the literature, help nurses recognize the issues faced by transgender patients, and aid nurses in delivering more informed and comforting care to transgender patients