We are seeking feedback on how inpatient units are handling room assignments for LGBTQIA patients. We have 3 inpatient units, one of which is an adolescent unit, ages 5-17. The current practice is to provide the patient with a private room if able, or cohort two LGBTQIA patients of the same gender, i.e., 2 MTF or FTM patients would room together.
Do any hospitals assign a roommate of the gender that the patient identifies with? For example, if a patient identifies as female, assigning a room with another female. We are told that the transgender patient has a right to a room with a roommate of the gender the patient identifies with, with confidentiality and privacy considered, we would not tell the roommate or ask the roommate for permission regarding the same, and if the roommate has a problem with it, then the roommate can be moved.
We would be interested in finding out how other inpatient psychiatric units are handling that issue.
Angela Brathovde, MSN, RN, BC, HNB-BC