LGBTQ-Inclusive Hospice and Palliative Care

the kb group’s Chief Research Officer Kim Acquaviva’s new book —LGBTQ-Inclusive Hospice & Palliative Care: A Practical Guide to Transforming Professional Practice — is hitting the bookshelves (and online book sellers) this week!

This unique book really is a practical guide, not a stuffy academic book, despite Kim’s PhD.  The book provides physicians, APRNs, registered nurses, social workers, counselors, chaplains, and administrators clear, actionable strategies to use in transforming care of all patients.  She provides a ton of information about the LGBTQ community – things the average person doesn’t know (or thinks they know). For example, the LGBTQ in the book’s title stands for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender non-conforming, queer, and/or questioning.” My guess is the average hospice and palliative care professional might not have much experience helping people who identify as gender non-conforming or queer.

What I love about the book:

• Kim developed a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to LGBTQ-inclusive care for all patients and families and tells readers exactly how to carry it out.

• Even though the book is anchored in the evidence, it’s written in plain language and includes numerous checklists and tables to help you transform the care you and your organization provide.

• Many of the strategies Kim provides are applicable to every patient, because inclusive care is patient-centered care.  As an example, Kim provides a 7-step process, complete with an easy-to-remember mnemonic, that illustrates how to integrate inclusive, non-judgmental practices into the care provided to all patients.

So, while I am biased, I do highly recommend this book.  To purchase your copy of the book, visit the publishers website. You can read more about the book here and follow Kim on Twitter @kimacquaviva