Journal of clinical nursing
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To describe transsexual persons' experiences of encounters with healthcare professionals during the sex reassignment process. ⋯ Improved education on transgender issues in nursing and medical education is warranted. Healthcare professionals should be aware of how their attitudes and their level of knowledge affect the care given during the sex reassignment surgery process.
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We used a question from the Healthcare Equality Index to explore nurses' knowledge and understanding of medical advance directives, medical power of attorney and other legal documents for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender patients. ⋯ Nurses are in a position to act as educators, advocates and decision makers for their patients. Nurse's lack of understanding of advance care planning may negatively impact the type and quality of care lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender patients receive.
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To develop an understanding of lesbian-, gay-, bisexual-, transgender-specific mental health and substance abuse needs in rural populations and to improve data about sexual orientation and gender identity. ⋯ Context in which sensitive questions are asked may affect the accuracy of demographic data. Lack of information regarding patients' sexual orientation or gender identity may impact perceived need for culturally competent care. Results suggest the need for efforts to provide training for mental health specialists in rural areas to provide sensitive care.
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To explore nurses' representations of caring for people with an intellectual disability, intervention strategies they currently use, and to identify needs to ensure quality care. ⋯ Nurses must be educated to adapt to findings emerging from current research showing that people with an intellectual disability want to be part of their local communities and encourage these persons to do so. This can be facilitated through the adoption of specific guidelines, protocols and care programmes. Further research is needed to develop a better understanding of the expectations of these patients and their caregivers, focusing on self-advocacy as well as health promotion techniques, with the goal of enhancing personalised practice standards and reducing health education inequalities for these patients.
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This systematic review describes studies evaluating screening tools and brief interventions for addressing unhealthy substance use in primary care patients with hypertension, diabetes or depression. ⋯ Although small, the international evidence base suggests that screening with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test or Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-C and brief interventions for primary care patients with chronic medical conditions, delivered by nurses or other providers, are effective for identifying unhealthy substance use and associated with healthy behaviours and improved outcomes. Lacking are studies screening for illicit drug use, and using single-item screening tools, which could be especially helpful for frontline primary care providers including nurses.