Objective: To integrate and analyse the literature produced by nurses in terms of care, education and understanding of the reality of transgender (trans) people.
Design: An integrative review methodology guided by the framework proposed by Whittemore and Knafl.
Data sources: The search strategy was applied in the following databases: Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and CINAHL, as well as in Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde, during February and March 2021, with no time frame.
Review methods: The references found were assessed according to the eligibility criteria established. The information of the articles included was extracted, and a thematic analysis was performed to synthesize the review findings.
Results: The searches in the databases yielded 2859 articles; 985 after removing duplicates, and 33 articles were included in this review. Three major themes were identified: (1) Understanding the trans universe through the trans perspective; (2) Understanding health and nursing care for trans people; and (3) Trans women as the focus of health and nursing care. The themes evidenced in the lens of nurses and clients the importance of nursing training at all levels to prepare professionals on how to provide culturally competent nursing care for this population and reduce healthcare inequities.
Conclusion: Nurses must work to provide a space for convergence and enhancement of the rights of trans people and cease to be a verticalized care model. To such end, it is necessary to devise places and possibilities to teach and learn, to construct and reconstruct a culturally competent nursing care.
Impact: This review highlighted the current knowledge and identified gaps in the understanding of nurses, health professionals and students about the experience lived by trans people, resulting from the lack of training and continuing education of these professionals.
Keywords: health services for transgender persons; nursing; nursing education; nursing research; review; transgender persons.
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