Grant: Project Grant

Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other gender and sexual orientation diverse (2S/LGBTQIA+) people are facing increasing discrimination within healthcare settings in Canada, resulting in poor health outcomes. In response, a new 2S/LGBTQIA+ Liaison Nurse role has recently been created, offering direct clinical and social support for 2S/LGBTQIA+ people within the hospital setting. This role is among the first of its kind within Canada, and potentially globally, and holds incredible potential for enhancing health outcomes for this community. To ensure this role is successful and is effective in meeting the health and healthcare needs of 2S/LGBTQIA+ communities, this research will examine how the 2S/LGBTQIA+ Liaison Nurse role is conceptualized, practiced, and experienced. In particular, this research will explore the role across several healthcare contexts in British Columbia. Drawing on a community-engaged research approach, we will collect mixed-methods data, including: observations of Liaison Nurse everyday work; repeated interviews with Liaison Nurses; interviews with healthcare leaders; interviews with 2S/LGBTQIA+ patients; and daily logs completed by the Liaison Nurses that include information about services provided and patients' demographic details. Data analysis will integrate qualitative and quantitative insights, within a Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) approach. In doing so, we will highlight how the 2S/LGBTQIA+ Liaison Nurse is supporting patients' unique health and healthcare needs across diverse gender and sexual orientations, and individuals' intersecting identities, and health and social needs. This research will generate essential insights to guide the scale-up of this role across Canada and globally, towards enhancing the healthcare experiences and health outcomes of 2S/LGBTQIA+ people.