ANA\California Releases Groundbreaking LGBTQIA+ Healthcare Assessment, Reinforcing Commitment to Ethical, Inclusive Care
- ANA California Staff
- Jul 22
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 28
July 22, 2025
Sacramento, CA — The American Nurses Association\ California (ANA\California) has released a first-of-its-kind LGBTQIA+ Healthcare Assessment, aimed at identifying gaps, improving nursing competencies, and advancing equitable care for LGBTQIA+ individuals across California. This initiative directly reflects the values and ethical obligations outlined in the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses, emphasizing a nurse’s duty to advocate for vulnerable populations and provide culturally competent care to all.
The assessment is a direct response to persistent disparities faced by LGBTQIA+ communities, including discrimination, inadequate access to affirming care, and significant mental and physical health inequities. By surveying California nurses and healthcare professionals, ANA\C seeks to capture real-world experiences, challenges, and opportunities to inform policy, education, and institutional practices.
“As nurses, we are ethically bound to uphold human dignity and eliminate health disparities,” said Christine Tarver, Board President of ANA\C. “This assessment helps us understand where we stand—and more importantly—where we must go.”
The initiative is rooted in several provisions of the ANA Code of Ethics, particularly:
Provision 1: The nurse practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person.
Provision 8: The nurse collaborates to protect human rights and reduce health disparities.
Provision 9: The profession must articulate nursing values, maintain integrity, and integrate principles of social justice into all roles.
“This is more than data collection—it is an ethical imperative,” said Dr. Marketa Houskova, ANA\C CEO. “Our mission is to ensure that every nurse in California has the education, tools, and support needed to care for LGBTQIA+ patients without bias, stigma, or harm.”
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About American Nurses Association\California (ANA\California)
ANA\California is a bi-partisan professional nursing organization representing the interests of more than 500,000 licensed registered nurses in California. Our mission is to optimize nursing contributions to the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. As a state-level professional advocacy organization, ANA\C has been extensively involved in legislative efforts supporting many bills, regulations, and policies that became California’s laws and are currently assisting in making California a place of Nursing Excellence.
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