Registered nurses at Veterans Administration (VA) facilities nationwide have expressed their disapproval of the VA secretary’s recent decision to discontinue gender-affirming health care for transgender and intersex veterans who are new patients. These nurses, represented by National Nurses United (NNU), emphasize that their patients should have access to comprehensive health care and treatments known to enhance quality of life.
The NNU, the largest nursing union in the United States, is concerned about the impact on transgender veterans, a group with several high-risk health factors. The organization argues that denying treatment for intersex veterans further highlights this decision as an attack on vulnerable populations rather than a patient-centered choice.
“Gender-affirming care is health care, and health care is a human right,” said Justin Wooden, RN in the intensive care unit at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Florida. He added that many patients and colleagues are veterans who served the country but now face denial of essential health care services.
NNU represents over 15,000 registered nurses across 23 VA facilities in the U.S. It remains committed to advocating for its members and their patients, stressing that prohibiting hormone replacement therapy for veterans undermines the existence of transgender individuals.
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