Professional Identity Reflection: Case Study Analysis - NUR1202

This assignment presents a student's reflection on a nursing case study involving a same-sex couple and a nurse's assumptions. The student utilizes Rolfe's reflection cycle to analyze the situation, focusing on the nurse's comments, the couple's discomfort, and the broader implications of societal attitudes and cultural safety. The reflection explores the student's personal feelings, beliefs, and professional development, emphasizing the need for increased awareness, sensitivity, and acceptance towards same-sex couples in healthcare settings. The student discusses the impact of the experience on their future practice, including how they would handle similar situations and advocate for improved communication and ethical practices among healthcare professionals. The assignment highlights the importance of cultural safety and protecting the rights of all patients, particularly same-sex couples, within the healthcare system.

Running head: Professional identity
Professional identity
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Authors note:

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PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY
With context to the case study, I would like to give reflection of my beliefs using the
Rolfe’s refection cycle. The nurse encountered a patient who was suffering from infected
wound and an existing spinal injury from a motor cycle accident. The registered nurse makes
a comment without knowing about the patient’s relation with the boy. The nurse thought
Mark as the caretaker of Allen and further interrogated Mark about Allen’s medical history
and other related facts (Carabez, Eliason & Martinson, 2016). The nurses’ comment made
them uncomfortable and awkward as the nurse was being formal and paid no heed to their
relationship. The assumptions made by the nurse were generalised and she must have been
sensitive in her comments. Same sex couples are often subjected to such awkwardness and
this kind of situation make them feel social identity crisis. Societal attitudes like this over the
same sex couple varies over time and place. The nurses comment were not deliberate but it
made them feel negative about their sexual orientation and may affect the care plan of nurse.
Same sex couples are at high risk of societal isolation and being unknown to their feelings
would expose them to more negativity.
Being a clinical placement in a busy ward the situation made me feel bad on the
nurse’s comments. There is an increased hatred and negligence against the same sex couple
and there is a strong need to support them. The situation evoked a feeling of mercy for them
and wanted to stand for their emotions. The registered nurse was doing her duty and ensured
that Allen received the best care but her comment made them feel awkward and
uncomfortable. I belief that same sex couples are often subjected to such awkwardness and
there must be more awareness and acceptance needed to protect the rights of same sex couple
(Carabez et al, 2015). This case made me feel that how same sex couples are subjected to
such feelings and the need of awareness among the people for better understanding. These
kind of experiences has a potential effect on the patients and fundamental aspect of social
experience. The patients develop trust issue and find it difficult to have open interaction with

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PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY
the health staff and lack of understanding would prevail. The experience has an important
affect on my academics and personal development (Wintemute, 2017). This situation made
me more cautious about handling such situations and personally made me more accepted
towards the needs of same sex couple. in future if I have to deal with two boys I would
refrain from assuming their relationship and would humbly ask them about the relation first.
From personal view I always thought the relationship of the same sex couple being normal
but this situation made me more sensitive about them and their feelings. In professional
pursuit, also it is mandatory to know about such scenarios that would help me to intervene in
similar situation.
As a result of this experience I would now like to make people more aware regarding
the emotional needs of same sex couple including the health workers. Professionally also I
would like people to participate in the social upliftment of same sex couples. Through this
situation I have understood the misunderstanding that happened in part of the registered nurse
and with this understandings I would like to make awareness to other health workers. Health
workers like nurses are needed to care for people from different backgrounds and therefore
nurses must be sensitive enough to not hurt the patients (Guimarães et al, 2019). I would
apply my learnings by talking to the health workers and nurses and tell them how to deal with
patients by asking direct questions without assuming. In my future practice I would like to
give brief understanding on how to address same sex couples normally and not make them
feel awkward. I would suggest nurses to have better communication with the patients and not
make a conversation based on assumptions. The nurses must be following the guidelines to
prevent such situations where the patients may feel uncomfortable. The nurses must ensure
that they protect the rights of their patient and on not following they may have to be
answerable to me as I would not tolerate any such situations where same sex couples are
made to feel awkward. Same sex couples are integral part of our community and their rights

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are needed to be protected. The same sex couples must be felt comfortable otherwise, this
may disrupt the health care and pose as hurdle to health care. The registered nurses must be
responsible in dealing with same sex couples and must concentrate in the care plan. Therefore
with proper awareness and initiatives the rights of same sex couple can be prevented and
registered nurses be trained in dealing with such situations.

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References:
Carabez, R. M., Eliason, M. J., & Martinson, M. (2016). Nurses' Knowledge About
Transgender Patient Care. Advances in Nursing Science, 39(3), 257-271.
Carabez, R., & Scott, M. (2016). ‘Nurses don't deal with these issues’: nurses’ role in
advance care planning for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender patients. Journal of
clinical nursing, 25(23-24), 3707-3715.
Carabez, R., Pellegrini, M., Mankovitz, A., Eliason, M., Ciano, M., & Scott, M. (2015).
“Never in all my years…”: nurses' education about LGBT health. Journal of
Professional Nursing, 31(4), 323-329.
Guimarães, A. N., Marqui, G. D. D. S. D., Brum, M. L. B., Vendruscolo, C., Werner, J. M.,
& Zanatta, E. A. (2019). Narratives of young people on same-sex relationships about
their path and implications for mental health. Escola Anna Nery, 23(1).
Stewart, K., & O'Reilly, P. (2017). Exploring the attitudes, knowledge and beliefs of nurses
and midwives of the healthcare needs of the LGBTQ population: an integrative
review. Nurse Education Today, 53, 67-77.
Wintemute, R. (2017). Recognising new kinds of direct sex discrimination: transsexualism,
sexual orientation and dress codes. In Sexual Orientation and Rights (pp. 265-290).
Routledge.