WordPress.com



ProposalPositive LGBT Workplace Climate IndexBackgroundThe idea for the Positive LGBT Workplace Climate Index (PWCI) originated at the 2013 GLMA Nursing Summit, when a workgroup was formed to address organizational climate issues that have negatively affected nurses for decades. In particular, we sought to address dynamics of homophobia, particularly lesbian-phobia, and resulting forms of discrimination in hiring, work assignments and professional/social dynamics. Early in the process, we pledged to take a positive approach by focusing on the policies and practices that need to be in place to overcome the negative dynamics that prevail in many workplace environments. We also believe that the welfare of LGBT nurses is among the most pressing of issues because of the long-standing discrimination that they have endured for so long. Taking a step to ameliorate and reverse this situation is not only good for LGBT nurses and other healthcare providers, it is a golden outreach opportunity for GLMA. During the 2015 GLMA Nursing Summit, the Organizational Climate workgroup formally established our action agenda to establish a campaign to promote positive workplace environments for LGBT nurses and other healthcare professionals, and started drafting ideas of an Index that can be used to encourage organizations to assess their standing in relation to LGBT employees. The workgroup was particularly concerned with the professional quality of life for nurses, and with overcoming the horrendous circumstances of homophobia that have seriously impeded the political and personal strength of all nurses for decades. While we appreciate and support all efforts to bring health equality to all, particularly the patients and clients we serve, we believe that discrimination can and does persist against nurses themselves, even within organizations that claim to be welcoming of LGBTQ clients. We recognize that all organizations are faced with many intersecting factors that challenge the organization’s ability to treat all people fairly and equally, and many organizations are compelled to declare non-discrimination based on a person’s race, religion, culture, etc., the factors of sexuality and gender are all too often missing in these policies. Further, hetero-normativity is deeply embedded in institutional cultures where the predominant occupations involved have a long-standing history of gender-segregation (physicians=male, nurses=female) coupled with traditional relational dynamics of power that nurtures complex systems of inequality. For purposes of this project “organizations” are inclusive of all places where LGBT healthcare providers are employed, including Schools and Colleges, and acute-care, long-term, and community agencies and institutions. The project is inclusive of all LGBT employess, but recognizing that nurses comprise the largest group of healthcare workers, the implementation of the project will focus on places where nurses are employed. We believe that the nursing section is ideally positioned to launch and manage this project, and that doing so will provide positive outreach from GLMA nurses to a vast number of nurses and other providers who labor under less than ideal workplace conditions. By “climate” we mean the operational, behavioral day-to-day interactions that signify the values of the organization and create emotional “feeling” and “tone” of being welcome or not welcome, valued or not valued, included or not included – or perhaps indifference. By “positive workplace climate” we mean visible and felt interactions that are welcoming, inclusive and valuing of LGBTQ individuals and their families, and that actively mitigate against the long history of workplace discrimination under which LGBT healthcare workers have labored for far too long.Related documentsThere are a number of related documents that overlap with the PWCI, but that do not address the comprehensive dimensions of employment that we address in the PWCI. However it is important to acknowledge these related resources:Healthcare Equality Index (HEI2014)The Healthcare Equality Index () , which GLMA had a key role in developing, is an important benchmarking tool for healthcare facilities that seek to offer better and more equitable care for LGBT patients. While there are areas of similarity, the purpose of the PWCI is directed toward equality and non-discrimination of LGBT employees/workers, while the HEI addresses equal care for LGBT patients. The areas of overlap are found in two of the four HEI “leader criteria” that address issues related to workers/providers. The HEI criteria “Employment Non-Discrimination Policies” addresses policies and practices that are included on the PWCI, including the ability to identify as LGBT on employment forms and surveys, officially recognized LGBT employee groups, and equal benefits for same-sex partners/spouses (page 40) and community engagement with LGBT groups (page 42). The criteria “Training in LGBT patient-Centered Care;” is also addressed on the PWCI Index, which calls for LGBT education and training, but in the PWCI, this is not limited to patient care, but rather education and sensitivity to the challenges of LGBT experience and overcoming stigma and discrimination in interactions among co-workers and employees. GLMA White Paper: Recommendations for Enhancing the Climate for LGBT Students and Employees in Health Professional SchoolsThis white paper, published in 2013, is a landmark document that provides important background and foundation for the PWCI. () It is our hope that the PWCI will direct attention to this important document and that they will complement one another as tools for advancing LGBT healthcare equality. The white paper is broader than the PWCI in that it addresses curricula and student issues as well as LGBT employee issues, but it is narrower in that it is directed only to Health Professional Schools. The PWCI is purposely designed to be brief, easily presented in a very compact format that quickly draws attention to key policies and actions for a positive workplace climate for LGBT employees in all settings – schools, hospitals and community agencies. The white paper provides details that we can draw on in implementing the PWCI but the two are not duplicative.AAMC Publication: Implementing Curricular and Institutional Climate Changes to Improve Health Care for Individuals who are LGBT, Gender Nonconforming, or Born with DSD: A Resource for Medical EducatorsThis is another excellent resource that provides detail that agencies can use in implementing the standards of the PWCI. () It is focused on medical education, so while there is some overlap in the recommendations, it is does not address a number of employee issues that are critical for a positive workplace climate in all settings. Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS) in Higher Education: Lesbian, Bay, Bisexual and Transgender Programs and Services SAG (Self-Assessment Guide)This is a 2006 publication that provides detailed guidelines for college and university self-assessment related to their LGBT programs and services. () While the focus is on students, many of the recommendations and standards are equivalent to the kinds of policies and practices relevant the employees. As such, this document can be a valuable resource that we can use in the implementation of the PWCI. It is complementary, but not duplicative. Projected Supplementary Features and ResourcesIn addition to the Index itself and the brochure promoting the PCWI, we project a supplementary package of features and resources that can be installed on the GLMA Nursing Section web site. These features and resources can include:Examples of evidence that organizations can use in documenting that they have satisfied the criteria on the PWCI. These can be developed and updated over time to provide ideas and inspiration for agencies that have not yet developed the policies and practices that are required to achieve a full score of 10. These can include:Samples of recruitment and employment materials that use prominent LGBT-inclusive language (sexual orientation and gender identity) Links to recommended language for policies that declare non-discrimination in hiring, workload assignments, retention and promotion based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or family affiliation such as same sex partners, and to policies that declare “zero tolerance” of workplace harassment. The Nursing Section Policy Workgroup, and the Education workgroup are already working on materials that can be included. Examples of event announcements or invitations that include significant others, partners and spouses of LGBTQ employees/membersLinks to resources for equal benefits to all domestic partners, spouses and children, regardless of sexual or gender identity or legal marriage status.Links to guidelines that outline actions to be taken in the event of harassment or non-compliance with LGBT policies.Links to LGBT interest/support groups in major agencies, corporations and institutions as models.Links to information about LGBT pride events.Links to resources for employee education programs focused on LGBT issues.Links to various LGBT resource organizations that are accessible to most communities, such as PFLAG, LGBT resource centers, etc.Plan for advertising PWCI scores that can include, but is not limited to:Recognition on the GLMA web site and on the web site and/or an annual publication that gives a description of the agency/organization, and congratulatory remarks that highlight their achievementsA certificate/icon that can be posted on the agency’s web siteImplementation PlanWe hope to have this project fully ready to launch no later than September 2015. This timing is important for academic institutions that are beginning a new school year, and it tends to be a productive time of year for new initiatives to begin to be discussed in many healthcare agencies as they prepare for the coming calendar year. We also believe that timing is of the essence, given the larger political/social context in the US, which has opened the door for a much more receptive and positive response in healthcare to the very existence of LGBTQ individuals in every aspect of an organization’s structure. The Nursing Section leadership team will work with the workgroup leaders to coordinate focused contacts with selected institutions and agencies that we know to be open to being the “Founding PWCI Leaders” to establish their scores and provide examples of evidence that can be used in promoting the project. While this project has been initiated by the organizational climate workgroup, other workgroups are also pursuing related projects that can be part of this initiative. For example, the “Patient Care” workgroup is preparing a poster that can be displayed in nursing staff breakout rooms; the “Policy” workgroup is developing model policy statements. Members of the “research” workgroup are wiling to work on a plan to evaluate the outcomes of this project, as well as publications related to this project. We project that members of the GLMA Nursing Section will use our considerable connections (both physical and virtual) with organizations, organization leaders, and LGTBQ employees to convey information about the Index, and encourage the organizations with which we are affiliated to become “founding PWCI leaders.”Specific actions that will be taken to launch this project:Prepare the web site to shift to a public web site featuring the Index, and post supporting materialPrepare the brochure to be distributed in both paper and PDF formats.Prepare a database that can be used to track agencies as we begin to establish connections in the process of encouraging the use of the Index. ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download