Posted today on the GLMA Nursing blog – an article addressing a neglected part of social stigma: patient homophobia and racism toward nurses.
Our GLMA Nursing Colleague, Fidel Lim, just shared news of this, his latest article co-authored by one of his students (now graduated)! This year Fidel will not be able to join us for the nursing summit, but he remains actively involved in the Education workgroup. This article discusses the very difficult situation of patient verbal homophobic or racist assaults toward nurses, creating a real challenge for the nurse who is morally obligated to continue to provide the best quality of care.
As they note, even though society in general is shifting in the direction of greater acceptance of diversity, prejudice and incivility still exist, and having good support systems in place for nurses to deal constructively with the situation is an essential part of a positive workplace environment. In addition, collective action by organized nursing groups lends strength to all efforts to overcome prejudice and stigma. As they state:
“Policy…
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Lavender Health - LGBTQ Resource Center 
Peggy, thanks so much for sharing this much needed scholarship being done by this nurse researcher, in an area that is vital to all our practices as nurses. While it is true that our climate is shifting in positive ways, the area of incivility and discrimination toward nurses, particularly those who identify as LGBTQ require us to continually educate and advocate for equitable and respectful treatment. To do so is the only way we can ensure our voices as LGBTQ nurses are heard in a profession that has otherwise kept our identities invisible. This research is not only timely, but will continue to grow a body of scholarship in an area that will bring much needed awareness to nurses working across diverse clinical settings, educational environments, and research trajectories.