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Our topic is transgender care in nursing. As nurses, we enter the profession to help people, regardless of their background or identity. Unfortunately, in today’s society, personal beliefs and political views can sometimes interfere with the quality of care provided. Transgender individuals often face significant judgment and discrimination, even in healthcare settings where they should feel safe and supported. It is our responsibility as nurses to ensure that every patient receives care that is unbiased, respectful, and rooted in trust. Creating a safe and inclusive environment is not just ethical, it is essential to providing high-quality care.

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Some of the challenges in providing transgender care in nursing include knowing the appropriate language to use and understanding the correct policies and practices to follow. For instance, I might initially use the term “breastfeeding” out of habit, not realizing that my patient prefers the term “chestfeeding.” If the patient expresses discomfort, I would respectfully apologize and adjust my language moving forward. Even if a nurse personally doesn’t use or agree with a certain term, the priority is always to provide care that is respectful, affirming, and patient-centered. Another significant challenge is the lack of formal education and training for healthcare staff on how to properly care for transgender patients. Nurses must be equipped to offer safe, inclusive, and compassionate care. A key goal for improving transgender care should be advocating for institutional training that educates staff on using correct pronouns, practicing sensitive and respectful communication, honoring patients’ identities and bodies, completing documentation mindfully, and ultimately delivering holistic care. Above all, nurses should lead by example and speak up to ensure all patients feel seen, respected, and safe (Staff, 2022).

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Access to healthcare for transgender individuals remains a significant issue in nursing, with disparities, inequities, and barriers deeply rooted in systemic and social factors. Higher rates of mental health issues, a higher risk of HIV and STIs, and restricted access to care that is gender affirming are just a few of the negative health consequences that transgender people frequently face. Access to necessary services is further impeded by injustices, including insufficient insurance coverage, geographic disparities, and financial difficulties. Many nursing professionals feel unprepared due to a lack of knowledge and training on transgender health, which can cause misgendering, discomfort, or even denial of care. Additionally, common are stigma and discrimination, which frequently discourage transgender people from obtaining care for fear of abuse. Other difficulties include a general lack of culturally competent communication. To ensure that transgender patients receive respectful, high-quality healthcare, addressing these concerns calls for thorough nursing education, inclusive institutional policies, equitable insurance reform, and a dedication to culturally competent care (Bhatt et al., 2022).

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Pharmacologic considerations in transgender care are a critical aspect of nursing practice, involving specialized medications, cost-related challenges, and issues with availability and supply. Hormone therapy, which includes drugs like estrogen and testosterone, is frequently used by transgender people as a gender-affirming treatment. To guarantee safety and efficacy, these medications need to be closely monitored and administered on an individual basis. This calls for nursing expertise in pharmacokinetics, possible adverse effects, and drug interactions. High prices and inconsistent insurance coverage, with some policies completely eliminating gender-affirming treatments, sometimes restrict access to these drugs. This financial burden may cause people to skip dosages or engage in risky self-medication behaviors. Furthermore, hormone therapy may be scarce or unavailable in some places, particularly in underprivileged or rural communities. These supply problems may interfere with care continuity and have detrimental effects on both physical and mental health. In order to guarantee consistent and affirming care, nurses are essential in promoting fair access to necessary medications, teaching patients how to take them, and working with interdisciplinary teams. Supporting transgender patients' general well-being requires addressing these pharmaceutical issues (Coig et al., 2023).

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Education with nurses is one of the nursing interventions that arise in transgender care, as mentioned above in another area. Due to potential negative stigma, there have been stories of the transgender community not seeking health care. Medical professionals need to recognize how transgender persons are discriminated against. Lectures and education needs to be included to help healthcare professionals understand the transgender community. This will reduce the discrimination that transgender people have previously reported and help them feel comfortable and accepted when receiving care (Huang et al., 2025). In order to assist patients open up and establish a positive relationship with healthcare, nurses who work with the transgender community can establish trust through therapeutic communication. A positive and inviting atmosphere can be achieved by incorporating inclusive clinical care, assessments, and appropriate language. Having nurses participate in outreach activities to educate and support the transgender population is another way to support them.

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Bhatt, N., Cannella, J., & Gentile, J. P. (2022). Gender-affirming Care for Transgender Patients. Innovations in clinical neuroscience, 19(4-6), 23–32. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9341318/.

Coig, R., Grieve, V. L. B., & Cirrincione, L. R. (2023). Clinical Pharmacological Considerations in Transgender Medicine. Handbook of experimental pharmacology, 282, 41–55. https://doi.org/10.1007/164_2023_665.

Huang, K., Yang, A. J., Skoretz, L., Firek, A., & Khurana, D. (2025). Developing health care provider knowledge, confidence, and cultural sensitivity through resident transgender training: a controlled educational study. International Journal for Equity in Health, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-025-02555-7

Staff, N. (2022, August 29). Nursing care for transgender patients. NurseJournal.org. https://nursejournal.org/resources/nursing-care-for-transgender-patients/