title: Nursing care challenges: homosexual psychiatric patients.
abstract: 1. Stereotypes of homosexual behavior may negatively affect the nursing care for homosexual patients. Nurses must closely examine their attitudes toward homosexuals. To be able to provide quality care to homosexual patients, nurses must feel comfortable and fully aware of their own attitudes toward sexuality and homosexuality. 2. Nurses stand in a unique position to foster acceptance of homosexuality by assuming the advocacy role and addressing the stereotypes regarding homosexuality for both individual clients and the community. 3. Nurses need to provide an atmosphere of acceptance for homosexual patients by creating an environment where sexuality can be discussed in nonthreatening ways.
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Adult Treatment Services, University of South Florida Psychiatry Center, Tampa.
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003255:Consumer Organizations; D005260:Female; D006716:Homosexuality / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D012649:Self Concept; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012731:Sex Counseling; D013240:Stereotyping