LGBTQ+ Care: Training & Resources For Nurses

Accredited U.S. nursing programs are not required to teach LGBTQ+ health, and many still cover it only in passing. That gap shows up at the bedside. LGBTQ+ patients face higher rates of barriers to care, delayed treatment, and worse outcomes, and the people most affected, including LGBTQ+ youth, often avoid care because they expect to be judged or dismissed. Closing that gap is part of your job. The courses and resources below help you build the knowledge and language to deliver respectful, competent care and run a setting where LGBTQ+ patients feel safe.

Most of these programs are accredited and award continuing nursing education (CNE) credit and contact hours that count toward license renewal. Some states require LGBTQ+-specific CE outright. Washington, D.C., for example, mandates two contact hours of LGBTQ-focused cultural competency every renewal cycle, and a general cultural competency course that only mentions LGBTQ topics does not satisfy it. Before you enroll for credit, confirm your state board of nursing accepts the course.

Training Programs

National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center

A program of The Fenway Institute, the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center prepares providers to care for LGBTQIA+ patients through online webinars and self-paced modules. Most carry CNE or continuing medical education (CME) credit, and all of it is free. Start with the introductory webinar, Achieving Health Equity for LGBTQIA+ People, which covers core terminology, concepts, and best practices. Other modules go deeper into specific age groups, conditions (diabetes, sexually transmitted infections, reproductive health), and strategies for making a department more inclusive.

LGBTQ: Culturally Competent Care Considerations (NursingCE)

This two contact hour course is ANCC accredited. Learners work through LGBTQ health issues, build culturally competent communication skills, and review gender-affirming interventions. You can complete the module for free and then sign up for the assessment; a score of 80% or higher earns credit. There is a small fee only if you want a printed certificate.

GLMA Continuing Education

GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality is the oldest and largest professional association for LGBTQ+ healthcare providers. Its free four-part webinar series, Quality Healthcare for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender People, does not carry CE credit but is a solid grounding in patient needs, inclusive environments, and care for transgender patients. Sessions at GLMA's annual conference, typically held in September and accredited by the California Board of Registered Nursing, can be completed for CME and CNE credit, with a certificate available for a small fee. The conference is open to all providers.

Nurses' HEALE Cultural Competency Curriculum

The Nurses' Health Education About LGBTQ Elders (HEALE) curriculum builds skills for caring for older LGBTQ+ patients, many of whom avoid routine care out of fear of discrimination. Trained educators deliver the six-module program onsite at healthcare facilities. Topics include HIV and aging, sex and sexuality, legal issues, and caring for transgender elders. Nurses earn one contact hour per module.

The LGBTQ Community (continuingEDUCATION)

This $15 online course is approved for 1.5 contact hours by several bodies, including the ANCC, the California Board of Registered Nursing, and the District of Columbia Board of Nursing. It covers the history of the LGBTQ community, their experiences with the healthcare system, and general practice guidelines for caring for LGBTQ patients. It suits nurses, therapists, social workers, and pharmacists alike.

LGBTQ Cultural Competence Training (Wild Iris Medical Education)

This two contact hour online course gives nurses tools to remove discrimination and stigma from care, covering legal issues, privacy, culturally competent practice, and clinical risk factors. It is ANCC accredited and approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing. The $18 self-paced module ends with an assessment; you need 70% or higher to earn credit. Nurses in Washington, D.C. should take the D.C.-specific version.

It's About Time: Why Students Deserve Comprehensive Sexuality Education (NASN)

Adapted from a National Association of School Nurses conference presentation, this course makes the case for comprehensive sexuality education over an abstinence-only approach, and shows how current approaches exclude LGBTQ+ and other marginalized youth and worsen their outcomes. It fits nurses focused on child and adolescent health. Free to NASN members and $20 for nonmembers, it awards 1.25 contact hours and is ANCC accredited.

Additional Resources

Beyond formal CE, these references help you stay current and point patients toward affirming care:

• GLMA Healthcare Provider Directory: a free directory of providers who have affirmed their commitment to LGBTQ+ patient health.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: an overview of LGBTQ+ health issues and resources for patients and providers.
• Office on Women's Health: federal information on sexuality, relationships, and sexual health.
• LGBT Cancer Network: resources for LGBTQ+ patients managing a cancer diagnosis and a path to affirming oncology care.
• Healthcare Equality Index: a benchmarking tool from the Human Rights Campaign that rates healthcare facilities on LGBTQ+ inclusion for patients, visitors, and staff.
• Providing Ethical and Compassionate Health Care to Intersex Patients (interACT): policy guidance for caring for people born with differences in sex traits or reproductive anatomy.
• Providing Affirmative Care for Patients with Non-binary Gender Identities (National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center): terms, evidence-informed practices, and data for delivering inclusive care to nonbinary patients.