Achieving Health Equity for LGBTQ+ Adolescents.

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) adolescent population experiences health disparities due to barriers to care, including lack of access to culturally competent health care providers. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to increase access to culturally competent care through continuing education, a physical makeover of clinic space, and a social marketing campaign. The impact of the project on the number of LGBTQ+ adolescent patients at the clinic and the rate of documentation of sexual orientation and gender identity data was evaluated via a chart audit.

Mental Health of LGBTQ Older Adults.

More than 54 million people in the United States are aged ≥65 years, including an estimated 2.4 million people who identify as lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ). As a group, LGBTQ older adults experienced criminalization, discrimination, and social stigma the majority of their lives, with rates of victimization and stigma increasing with age.

LGBTQ Older Adults in Long-Term Care Settings: An Integrative Review to Inform Best Practices.

Objectives: To synthesize literature about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) older adults in long-term care (LTC) facilities and provide recommendations for best practice guideline development to inform practice, research, and policy.

Methods: Four electronic databases were searched in June 2019 for studies conducted between 2000- 2019 related to caring for LGBTQ older adults in LTC settings. An integrative literature review was conducted on the twenty eligible studies.

Restoring Speech to Tracheostomy Patients.

Tracheostomies may be established as part of an acute or chronic illness, and intensive care nurses can take an active role in helping restore speech in patients with tracheostomies, with focused nursing assessments and interventions. Several different methods are used to restore speech, whether a patient is spontaneously breathing, ventilator dependent, or using intermittent mechanical ventilation. Restoring vocal communication allows patients to fully express themselves and their needs, enhancing patient satisfaction and quality of life.

Philanthropy as a source of funding for nursing initiatives.

Nurse leaders are challenged with ensuring that research and evidence-based practices are being integrated into clinical care. Initiatives such as the Magnet Recognition Program have helped reinforce the importance of advancing nursing practices to integrate best practices, conduct quality improvement initiatives, improve performance metrics, and involve bedside nurses in conducting research and evidence-based practice projects. While seeking research funding is an option for some initiatives, other strategies such as seeking funding from grateful patients or from philanthropic resources are becoming important options for nurse leaders to pursue, as the availability of funding from traditional sources such as professional organizations or federal funding becomes more limited.

The importance of tracheostomy progression in the intensive care unit.

A plan to progress a tracheostomy toward decannulation should be initiated unless the tracheostomy has been placed for irreversible conditions. In most cases, tracheostomy progression can begin once a patient is free from ventilator dependence. Progression often begins with cuff deflation, which frequently results in the patient's ability to phonate.

Tracheostomy care and complications in the intensive care unit.

Tracheotomy is a common procedure in intensive care units, and nurses must provide proper care to tracheostomy patients to prevent complications. One of the most important considerations is effective mobilization of secretions, and a suction catheter is the most important tool for that purpose. Each bedside should be equipped with a functional suctioning system, an oxygen source, a manual resuscitation bag, and a complete tracheostomy kit, which should accompany patients wherever they go in the hospital.