Nursing students' care of and attitudes towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex people in times of COVID‐19 in Spain: A cross‐sectional study

Abstract

Objective To measure the knowledge and attitudes of Catalan nursing students regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) patients, as well as their perception of specific training in this area, according to their internship modalities, sociodemographic circumstances and academic background during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Background During the COVID‐19 pandemic, the Spanish Government created the “Health‐Aid” internship: a paid alternative to curricular internships. There is extensive evidence that paid work environments perpetuate negative attitudes towards LGBTI patients. Method Cross‐sectional survey aimed at Catalan nursing students. The "Attitudes Towards and Knowledge About Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Patients" questionnaire was adapted. Descriptive study and backward regression models were constructed. Results 337 students, mean age 23.80 years (SD: 5.17) participated. 85% women and 54 (16%) completing the Health Aid internship modality. More than 50% did not attend specific training on the care of the LGBTI population. Differences between internship modalities showed higher values in the curricular internship group: attitudes (U = 6526.50, p = 0.031) and training perception (U = 5926.50, p = 0.008). Conclusions Nursing students’ attitudes towards LGBTI patients and their perception of specific training on care for this population were negatively influenced by the paid Health Aid internship during the pandemic. Implications for Nursing Management Even under dire circumstances, clinical training must be properly managed to address the specific health needs of vulnerable populations, such as LGTBI patients. Paid internships in emergency scenarios may impede these objectives.