| Sumario: | The latest report by Statistics Canada indicates that there are approximately 1 million Canadians who identify as members of the LGBTQ2S+ community. Currently, the transgender population in Canada is sitting at 0.35% or 131,000 people. Even though this number may seem low, this population of our citizens are often exposed to social issues which may prohibit them from seeking healthcare in a timely manner, if at all. It is the responsibility of all professions to ensure patients feel safe in the world of medicine and will seek care as needed. Fostering a feeling of safety in this population is not the only challenge for Respiratory Therapists and the healthcare team. Potential medical errors can occur when clinicians do not have appropriate awareness when treating these patients. There is a distinct lack of integration of these issues within Respiratory Therapy programs. While there have been studies done in nursing, dietary sciences, pharmacy, social work and medicine to date, these studies are proving that the healthcare teams are still deficient in this realm of practice. Provincial regulatory bodies and the National Competency Framework do not provide clear direction or specific expectations in this area. Some educational institutions and healthcare bodies are incorporating learning modules for staff to help provide information on this topic, but this is still not widespread, nor does it reach the myriad of learners within those systems. The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Respiratory Therapy program has taken on the task of incorporating education and creating awareness about this population and the challenges they face, into their curriculum. Their first foray into this area was with a Pulmonary Function simulation in Year 3 of the 3-year program. This was an interesting experience for both students and educators with some unforeseen challenges that were encountered. Despite the challenges, there was great learning gleaned from this experience which has stimulated the program to delve deeper into this area. SAIT would appreciate the ability to share our experiences with the hopes that more awareness will be created. An inclusive environment is a safe one.
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