Dr. Blackwell's BLOG

Dr. Blackwell’s original article, “Equality and Quality: The Relationship Between Magnet® Status and Healthcare Organizational Commitment to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Equality” has been ACCEPTED for publication in the Journal of Social Service Research. The article explores findings from Dr. Blackwell’s work examining the relationship between healthcare organizations’ overall score on the HRC Healthcare Equality Index and their status as being a Magnet®-recognized institution. The article, which takes an interdisciplinary focus and written with co-authors Alina Diaz-Cruz, MSN, MA, RN (Instructor, Barry University College of Nursing and Health Sciences and UCF Ph.D. Candidate) and Dr. Xin Yin (Professor of Statistics, UCF Department of Statistics and Data Science), will be published later this year. The abstract appears below:

Introduction: Discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) persons in the healthcare system is pervasive. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) conducts a major study annually in which participating healthcare organizations (n =626) are scored on their treatment of LGBTQ employees and clients published as its Healthcare Equality Index. Higher scores earned on the HEI correspond to more equitable treatment of LGBTQ persons, a mark of distinction. Similarly, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) recognizes nursing excellence in healthcare organizations by designating them as Magnet institutions (n =477), indicating alignment of the organization’s nursing strategic goals with improvement in patient outcomes. 

Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted to determine if a relationship existed between an organization’s HEI score and ANCC Magnet recognition. 

Results: Results supported a statistically significant association between HEI score and Magnet^®status (p = .0336). 

Discussion: Nurses, social workers, and other healthcare professionals should advocate for LGBTQ clients and colleagues and contribute to LGBTQ-related research, which is needed to enhance care delivery to LGBTQ persons across professions. Future research should focus on health outcomes resulting from interprofessional collaborations aimed at improving LGBTQ care and strategies to reduce discrimination against LGBTQ clients and employees.

Dr. Blackwell’s original article, “Demonstrating Nursing Excellence through Equality: The Relationship Between Magnet^®Status and Organizational LGBTQ Client Services and Support” has been ACCEPTED for publication in the Journal of Transcultural Nursing. The article explores findings from Dr. Blackwell’s work examining the relationship between healthcare organizations’ score on the HRC Healthcare Equality Index and their status as being a Magnet®-recognized institution. The article, focusing on the importance of results assessing the specific HRC HEI dimension of Organizational LGBTQ Client Services and Support, will be published later this year. The abstract appears below:

Introduction: Human Rights Campaign (HRC) annually scores healthcare treatment of LGBTQ employees and clients among four measured dimensions in its Healthcare Equality Index (HEI). The purpose of this study was to determine if the score organizations earned on the 2018 HEI dimension measuring LGBTQ client services and support correlated with organizations’ ANCC Magnet^®recognition status, a distinction of nursing excellence.

Methods: Using a secondary data analysis approach, data obtained from HRC that specifically rated LGBTQ client services and support in 2018 HEI participating organizations (n =626) were compared to the most recent inventory of ANCC Magnet^®healthcare organizations (n =477). 

Results: LGBTQ client services and support HEI scores positively correlated with Magnet^®status (p = .0002). 

Discussion: Provision of LGBTQ client services and Magnet^®recognition is strongly related to higher quality nursing care, suggesting organizations earning Magnet^®recognition provide more equitable services to its LGBTQ clients.