Management of Sexuality and Sexual Function in Rehabilitation Nursing
Presented by Donald Kautz
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Non-Financial: Donald D. Kautz, RN, PhD, CRRN has no competing non-financial interests or relationships with regard to the content presented in this course.
This course is designed to assist nurses who are studying for the CRRN exam. This course contains the essential content on sexuality and disability for the exam. However, nurses will find this course works best when taken in conjunction with two other courses: What Do I Say When My Patient Asks Me About Sex? and Sexuality, Aging & Chronic Illness. This CRRN prep course specifically addresses how to use the PLISSIT model to assess goals related to sexuality and reproduction, teaching interventions and technology related to sexuality and reproduction, sexual function and functional potential at different levels of spinal cord injury, where to find resources to help patients who want more information, and functional problems with disabilities and their potential effects on sexual relationships.
CRRN® is a registered trademark of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.
Meet your instructor
Donald Kautz
Donald D. Kautz earned his BSN from the University of Northern Colorado, and his MSN and PhD in Nursing from the University of Kentucky. Don worked in many areas of Rehabilitation Nursing, including acute inpatient rehab on spinal cord, head injury, stroke, and general rehab units. He worked as a staff nurse in a pain clinic,…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. PLISSIT Model for Addressing Sexual Concerns and Technology Related to Sexuality and Reproduction
PLISSIT is an acronym for the strategies for addressing sexual concerns of patients and their partners by giving Permission, Limited Information, Specific Suggestions and Intensive Therapy in addressing sexual concerns. The focus of this chapter is to apply the PLISSIT model to assess patients’ and their partners’ sexual goals, compare different PLISSIT strategies, and describe how to implement PLISSIT strategies in your practice.
2. Physiology of the Sexual Response
Research by Masters and Johnson, and later by Kaplan, led to the development of the triphasic sexual response: of desire, excitement, and orgasm. This chapter describes the sexual response and common problems that all people will likely have at some point in their lives. For example, men and women will have relationship issues at some point, which will decrease desire for a period of time. Another common problem with sexual desire is that there are times when our lives become so busy that sex just isn’t a priority.
3. Sexual Function at Different Levels of Spinal Cord Injury
Just as the expectations of functional ability vary by level of injury, sexual function in men and women varies by level of injury. Functional ability also affects a person’s ability to participate in different types of sexual activities. This chapter describes expected sexual function by level of spinal cord injury, compares sexual function in men and women to their levels of spinal cord injury, and describes adaptations made by those with SCI who wish to maintain sexual relationships.
4. Resources About Sex for Those with Stroke, Head Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, and Amputation
Pamphlets, videos, and websites have been developed specifically for those with stroke, head injury, spinal cord injury, and amputation. This chapter provides a list of up-to-date resources for patients and their partners, and describes how nurses can incorporate the use of these resources into their practice.
5. Functional Problems and Their Potential Effects on Sexual Relationships, and Suggestions for Overcoming or Adapting to These Problems
Disabilities may cause functional problems with sensation/perception, communication, cognition, mobility, and elimination. All of these functional problems may interfere with a patient and his or her partner’s ability to attain their sexual goals. In addition, patients may have erectile dysfunction, vaginal dryness, or an orgasm. This chapter identifies those problems and gives suggestions for overcoming or adapting to them.
