Code Rainbow: Addressing LGBTQ+ Allyship Among Rural Healthcare Providers
Webinar Details
An hour-long webinar diving into the trials, tribulations, measures, and outcomes of piloting an LGBTQ+ cultural humility workshop in a rural Iowa hospital. Gabrielle Flynt and Mara Bennett-Deiss united over their passion for caring for the queer community. They created Code Rainbow: A Training for Healthcare Providers as an evidence-based practice implementation project while completing their Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees. Completing this project locally and measuring the outcomes led them to win Best Poster at the AACN Diversity Symposium poster fair in February 2024. As they finish their education, they hope to bring the training to many more healthcare providers nationwide in the future.
Outcomes:
- Improve allyship for queer people among healthcare providers.
- Improve knowledge about resources and organizations for sexual minority people in my area.
- Develop the skills necessary to provide support of sexual minority people.
- Increase awareness of policies in the workplace and/or community that affect sexual minority groups.
- Increase knowledge about sexual minority groups.
- Improve confidence to engage in conversations with LGBTQ+ people.
- Bring awareness to minority groups who are oppressed by society in the United States.
- Gain understanding of the social, health, and workplace barriers faced by queer individuals that are not faced by heterosexuals.
Note: Recording of the webinar will be available soon after the webinar airs. Visit AACN's On-Demand Webinars to watch.
Speakers
Gabrielle Flynt, BSN
AGACNP-DNP Student
Winona State University
Gabrielle Flynt (she/her/hers) is a registered nurse in a rural northeast Iowa critical access emergency department and current Doctor of Nursing Practice Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner student at Winona State University, graduating in May 2025. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Washington State University in 2015. Originally from the inland northwest, employment opportunities for her spouse brought them to the rural Midwest, where they have resided for the last seven years. Passionate about improving healthcare for LGBTQ+ folks, she and her co-presenter Mara Bennett-Deiss co-created a workshop entitled Code Rainbow, designed to enhance allyship among healthcare providers. Initially a school assignment, Code Rainbow has blossomed into a passion project beyond their wildest dreams. It has taken them to several national nursing conferences to present their data and outcomes, including as a poster at the 2024 Midwest Nursing Research Society conference and as a podium presentation at the 2024 University of Iowa National Evidence-Based Practice conference. In February 2024, Code Rainbow: Addressing LGBTQ+ Allyship Among Rural Healthcare Providers won the best poster award at the AACN Diversity Symposium. Her interests outside of school and work include travel, gardening, playing fetch with her corgi, yoga, and spending time with her family.
Mara Bennett-Deiss, DNP
Nurse Practitioner Resident
Penobscot Community Health Center
Mara Bennett-Deiss was recruited to play soccer outside of her Michigan high school and received her BSN as a student athlete in 2016 from Lewis University in the suburbs of Chicago. After 8 years at the bedside in medical surgical, oncology, primary care, and rural settings, Mara attended Winona State University in Minnesota to complete her DNP and is an AANP board certified family nurse practitioner. Mara characterizes her practice as a heartfelt blend of humor, transparency, and gentleness. With a fierce passion for serving marginalized communities, she prioritizes equity for all patients. Her philosophy centers on acceptance, ensuring that every individual feels acknowledged and respected. Passionate about improving LGBTQ+ healthcare, Mara co-created a workshop: Code Rainbow, with her co-presenter Gabrielle Flynt, to enhance allyship among healthcare providers. As a foster parent and avid volunteer, she strives to make a positive impact on her community. To unwind, Mara finds comfort in spending time with her dogs, game nights with friends, and is an avid sports enthusiast. With her kind nature, humorous disposition, and unwavering curiosity, Mara brings a unique and compassionate approach to her work and personal life.
Pricing and CE Credit
This webinar is free to all.
Continuing Education Credits
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.