Perceptions of psychiatric nurses to psychiatric patients' sexuality

Purpose: This study was performed to examine psychiatric nurses' thoughts about the sexuality of individuals with mental disorders. Materials and Methods: This research was performed between January 1 and March 30, 2024. Before starting the research, ethics committee approval and institutional permission were gotten. The sample of the research was planned to be nurses working in Batman Training and Research Hospital psychiatric clinic and Community mental health center (CMHC). However, because the necessary number of participants could not be reached, psychiatric nurses across Turkey were contacted and online interviews were done. The research was performed with 31 psychiatric nurses selected by random sampling method. The study finished after data saturation was reached. "Personal Information Form" and "Semi-Structured Interview Form" were used to collect data. Qualitative data evaluation was performed with a theoretical thematic analysis approach. Results: In the content analysis, five main themes and seven sub-themes were identified in Perceptions of Psychiatric Nurses to Psychiatric Patients' Sexuality. These main themes were defined as the sexual lives of individuals with mental disorders, factors affecting their sexual lives, their civil rights regarding their sexual lives, not talking about their sexual lives and what should be done about their sexual health. Conclusion: In this study, it was determined that psychiatric nurses ignored the sexuality of individuals with mental disorders and were insufficient in providing sexual care. It was recommended that psychiatric nurses include sexuality when planning the care of individuals with mental disorders and plan training accordingly. Key Words: Psychiatric nurses, sexual care, sexual taboos and myths, sexual life, sexual dysfunction, sexually transmitted diseases