Simulation Design: Addressing Care of a Transgender Patient

- Mental health scenarios are complex, and multifaceted valid scenarios are needed to decrease health care disparities in the community.
- The transgender simulation facilitated student learning by enhancing current curriculum.
- Validated transgender simulations need to be utilized to maximize results.

This article describes the creation of a simulation of a transgender individual experiencing anxiety using International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning Standards of Best Practice: SimulationSM (2016). The aims of the simulation were to (a) identify signs and symptoms of client anxiety, (b) provide safe management of a client experiencing anxiety, and (c) establish culturally sensitive, therapeutic communication skills with a transgender client. Evaluation of the simulation design indicated it prepared participants to identify and address the psychosocial needs of a transgender individual. Whereas participants did not indicate the need to revise the simulation, as the evidence of transgender individual's health care needs and disparities continues to grow, so should the simulation to reflect and incorporate the current evidence.