Educating on anti-oppressive practice with gender and sexual minority elders: Nursing and social work perspectives

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:This article relates a common dilemma in professional education out of which developed a collaboration between two health disciplines at a regional Australian university. In a literature review across the two disciplines, the authors drew from social work's teaching knowledge base in an attempt to strengthen the nursing skill base. The intention was to provide students working in the health sector with a consistent theoretical approach and practical tools when working with sexual and gender minorities. METHOD:As associate professors in social work and nursing, the authors argue on the basis of the teaching and the literature review, for an explicitly anti-oppressive approach to be applied to the education of professionals who work with elders identifying with gender and sexual minorities. Working within an anti-oppressive framework, beginning practitioners in social work and nursing in degree-level education programmes were encouraged to explore their own attitudes including taken-for-granted assumptions often unexplored in the prevailing medical models of care. How different demographics within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer (LGBTQIA) community experience the health industry is a current issue for educators. There have been increasing challenges expressed by transgender individuals and their concerns over their specific health needs/stigma in rest-home-care facilities, for example. CONCLUSION:By embedding anti-oppressive principles in our teaching practice, relating to gender and sexual minorities, we acknowledge and open the debate to some of the possibilities/ practicalities/difficulties of advocating for this within a broader multi-disciplinary in small town, rural contexts. The implications for social work and nursing education are discussed.

Pedagogical principles and methods underpinning education of health and social care practitioners on experiences and needs of older LGBT+ people: Findings from a systematic review

“…Several authors identify theories and models that they indicate should be incorporated into curricula; these include the person-in-environment perspective; the life-course perspective; the minority stress model; the social ecological model, anti-oppressive theory, intersectionality theory, and the notion of ascribed versus claimed identities (Donald et al 2017;Fredriksen-Gold et al 2014;Pack & Brown, 2017). In relation to family, several authors highlight the need to address family theory and how family is constituted differently for many LGBT+ individuals (Cannon et al 2017;Hardacker et al 2014;Lim & Bernstein, 2012;Pack & Brown, 2017). While the authors considered these as relevant to the education of practitioners in relation to older LGBT+ individuals, they do not make explicit how or why these theories or models should be included.…”

“…Opportunities for discussion, dialogue, and reflection are recommended for inclusion by many authors (Bell et al 2010;Dentato et al 2014;Johnston, 2016;Pack & Brown, 2017;Pelt & Galambos, 2017;Rogers, 2013), with one study citing it as a useful way of making participants feel more at ease with the topic (Bayliss, 2000). Role playing is also recommended as a way of teaching (Gendron et al 2013;Johnston, 2016;Lim & Bernstein, 2012;Pack & Brown, 2017).…”

“…Opportunities for discussion, dialogue, and reflection are recommended for inclusion by many authors (Bell et al 2010;Dentato et al 2014;Johnston, 2016;Pack & Brown, 2017;Pelt & Galambos, 2017;Rogers, 2013), with one study citing it as a useful way of making participants feel more at ease with the topic (Bayliss, 2000). Role playing is also recommended as a way of teaching (Gendron et al 2013;Johnston, 2016;Lim & Bernstein, 2012;Pack & Brown, 2017). The scenarios used in or suggested for role play are aimed at enhancing trainees' understanding of issues relevant to older LGBT+ adults and as a means of developing their skills in culturally competent care, assessment and intervention, and the use of appropriate language (Johnston, 2016;Hardacker et al 2014;Pack & Brown, 2017).…”

“…Role playing is also recommended as a way of teaching (Gendron et al 2013;Johnston, 2016;Lim & Bernstein, 2012;Pack & Brown, 2017). The scenarios used in or suggested for role play are aimed at enhancing trainees' understanding of issues relevant to older LGBT+ adults and as a means of developing their skills in culturally competent care, assessment and intervention, and the use of appropriate language (Johnston, 2016;Hardacker et al 2014;Pack & Brown, 2017). A novel and interactive approach to teaching is a transformative theatre performance described in a US study wherein the audience become active participants in the experience (Hughes et al 2016).…”

“…A few authors highlight teaching methods which enable students to engage in selfassessment and critical reflection through the process of keeping a personal journal (Pack & Brown, 2017) or the use of evidence-based tools to self-assess cultural competency what method is used, debriefing or question and answer sessions is part of the majority of teaching strategies outlined (Hardacker et al 2014;Lim & Bernstein, 2012;Nambiar, 2011;Schwinn & Dinkel, 2015), with Hardacker et al (2014) suggesting that students be given the opportunity to ask questions privately as they may be uncomfortable asking in the wider context of the group.…”