Gender diversity in nursing undergraduate curricula: A scoping review

Integrating gender-inclusive care into nursing education is essential for preparing students to provide culturally sensitive, respectful, and equitable care, promoting a more inclusive healthcare system. However, despite increasing discussions on gender diversity, it remains unclear how extensively gender diverse content is included in undergraduate nursing curricula.

To identify and synthesise research that has been undertaken on gender diversity in nursing undergraduate curricula.

A scoping review using the methodology described by Arksey and O'Malley, and Peters et al. Five databases (Joanna Briggs Institute EBP database; CINAHL; Medline; Proquest Nursing and Allied Health database; ERIC) were searched for worldwide literature in English that addressed gender diversity, transgender and undergraduate nursing education. Retrieved citations were uploaded into Covidence and a two-stage screening process (titles and abstracts; full text) undertaken by two independent reviewers.

Twenty-five articles were included with most using quantitative methodology (19) and originating from the USA (19) and six in the rest of the world. Fourteen studies were published since 2021. Although there was wide variation in the amount and type of included content, nursing academics and students agreed on the importance and scarcity of gender diverse content in undergraduate curricula with eight studies stating gender diverse content, if included, was effective in increasing students' knowledge and comfort in providing care to gender diverse individuals.

This scoping review highlights the importance of addressing the needs of gender diverse individuals in healthcare. It reveals that integrating gender diversity education in nursing curricula positively impacts students' attitudes and knowledge, emphasising the need for comprehensive training. However, there remains a significant gap in literature, underscoring the necessity for further research to enhance gender diverse-sensitive nursing care and normalise discussions around inclusion in education.