Complexities of care: looking back, moving forward. Nursing and gay men's health: development and presentation of an educational resource for nurse educators in British Columbia

Abstract

In this project, I will present an educational resource for use by Registered Nurses in British Columbia and elsewhere. This curriculum is designed to assist nurse educators to teach practicing nurses about the complexities and concerns of addressing health issues of gay men beyond issues related to just HIV/AIDS. The curriculum is organized to address gay men’s health through the lifespan by focusing on three cohorts of gay men: older, middle‐aged and younger. Clinical nurse educators in British Columbia can use the curriculum as a teaching tool to help nurses identify current knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs that may be affecting the care provided to gay men. This project will be presented in two parts. Part A will introduce the concept of gay men’s health along with a review of the literature and the theoretical perspectives used to design the teaching curriculum and Part B will present the curriculum itself. The curriculum will not only provide the opportunity for Registered Nurses to engage in discourse surrounding gay men’s health but it may challenge nurse educators and their students to examine the social issues and attitudes influencing nurses’ clinical practice and care provided to gay men. The curriculum supports Registered Nurses in their quest to identify what they already know about gay men’s health. Therefore, expanding their knowledge in relation to gay men and their health issues, inclusive of but not focused on HIV/AIDS.