Experiences and opinions of nurses working in psychiatric wards on assessing patients' sexual health: A qualitative study

Purpose To determine the experiences and opinions of nurses working in psychiatric wards regarding the assessment of patients' sexual health. Design and Methods A qualitative, interpretative phenomenological design was used. Purposeful, snowball sampling identified eight nurses. Data were collected online through in-depth, individual interviews, and analyzed with Colaizzi's seven-step method. Findings The nurses' experiences and opinions were grouped under three themes: challenges, requirements, and opportunities. The theme of challenges was divided into attitude and environment; the requirements theme was divided into training, self-knowledge, and procedural arrangements; the opportunities theme was divided into awareness. Practical Implications Psychiatric nurses should know their sexual values and integrate personal/professional values. Institutions should train nurses in assessment' importance and scope and establish procedures/guidelines, supporting sexual health assessments.