Talking point: sexual intimacy and cancer
Julie Hoole , psychosexual therapist and winner of last year’s RCNi Excellence in Cancer Research award, reveals how health professionals can initiate conversations to ‘open the door’ for people who are experiencing sexual or intimacy problems during the course of their treatment
Holistic needs assessment is an everyday term in nursing where we pride ourselves on supporting the whole person.
When a patient ticks the box to say they are having sexual problems, what can a healthcare professional do?
I would suggest that sexual health education when discussing the unwanted effects of medication does not happen often enough. How often have you said: ‘The codeine you are prescribed may take your libido away’? Yet, as health professionals we are happy to talk about constipation in detail and how to manage this personal bodily function.
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