Lesbian, gay and bisexual experiences within critical care nursing, 1988–1998: a survey of the literature

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to provide an analysis of the extent to which gay, lesbian and bisexual service user experiences are represented within the critical care literature. A survey of five well established critical care journals, covering the period 1988–1998, was conducted in order to reveal the range of themes addressed within them. The findings suggest that these groups are invisible in this field of practice and consequently their particular concerns have remained marginalised. The implications of this absence are far reaching, potentially inhibiting nurses from establishing effective caring relationships with either lesbians, gays or bisexuals and from identifying and developing appropriate interventions for the care of these patients and their families.