Central to Columbia Nursing’s Mission: Providing Care for the LGBTQ Population

Columbia Nursing is an ardent advocate and active provider of comprehensive, culturally competent care for the LGBTQ population, a mission which resonates strongly within the school’s faculty practice: ColumbiaDoctors | Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Group.

In recognition of Pride Month, we want to highlight the care LGBTQ patients can receive from nationally board certified nurse practitioners at the practice. Our practitioners provide preventive health screenings; transgender health care, including hormone therapy; sexual and reproductive health; HIV/STI testing and care; HIV pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis; and psychiatric and mental-health counseling. The practice also recently piloted intake form questions, which were implemented across the practice, allowing patients to select, or even write in, their preferred gender identity pronouns.

LGBTQ care is central to our mission as a premier educational institution and also at our faculty practice. The LGBTQ population has elevated risks of HIV infection and other STIs; they have the highest rates of tobacco, alcohol, and other substance abuse; and gay men are more prone to anxiety and depression,” said Stephen Ferrara, DNP, associate professor and associate dean of clinical affairs, who oversees the practice. “We want to help patients, promoting their wellness through research, clinical practice, and education. We are accomplishing this through the services we provide at the practice, the groundbreaking research we perform and disseminate, and by ensuring our students and clinicians are culturally competent in caring for individuals who identify as LGBTQ.

Visit the Pride of Lions 2019 site and follow the hashtag #PrideofLions on social media this month to learn more about Columbia University's LGBTQ efforts.

Learn more about the ColumbiaDoctors | Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Group.