Input from the LGBTQIA community is needed to help Kate E H Vallerand, a social worker at the University of Michigan Hospital to help countless medical and mental health practitioners provide better service to LGBTQIA people.
Vallerand is part of an initiative at the university that is working to create a more inclusive and accessible patient-centered environment. While there are many branches to this initiative, one of the areas she is part of is specifically working with care given to the LGBTQIA community. Vallerand will be presenting as a guest lecturer at both Wayne State University College of Nursing and UM Hospital to emergency care providers on the basics of providing inclusive and informed care to the community.
"Now I can talk until I'm blue in the face but I'm only one voice from the LGBTQIA community," she said in a Facebook post. "I am reaching out to you guys looking to get other opinions and suggestions for care givers."
Specifically, Vallerand wants to know – What makes an interaction with a physician or nurse successful for you? Is there any crucial information you feel all care providers should know? What are the absolute do's and don'ts when working with the LGBTQIA community? Have you had any amazing or terrible experiences with care providers that you want to share?
Any information you have to offer, Vallerand welcomes. Information received would potentially be included in the presentations anonymously. The only exception is the personal experience stories, which will also remain anonymous unless Vallerand is given authorization to share them.
