Hidden No More: Addressing the Health and Wellness of LGBTQIA plus Individuals in Nursing School Curricula

Background: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual (LGBTQIA+) individuals face barriers to equitable health care access. During clini-cal encounters, LGBTQIA+ individuals interact with nurses and health care providers who often lack a thorough under-standing of LGBTQIA+ cultures, terminology, and strategies for culturally affirming care. This article details the process undertaken to include LGBTQIA+ health elective courses. Method: To outline LGBTQIA+ health education, a curricu-lum crosswalk was conducted. Course descriptions, objec-tives, and outcomes were crafted with faculty input. Priority LGBTQIA+ areas were analyzed, and textbook content was cross-referenced to identify topics for inclusion. Results: In Spring 2022, two LGBTQIA+ courses were launched. Under-graduate students at New York University Meyers (n = 27) and undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Pennsylvania (n = 18) comprised the inaugural classes. Conclusion: LGBTQIA+ individuals experience poorer health outcomes due to longstanding health inequities. These dis-parities are partly fueled by the minimal exposure nursing students receive in their undergraduate education. Guide-lines on the development of courses designed to highlight needs may address disparities, leading to better health out-comes. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(5):307-311.]