[Problems and their frequency, and emotional disturbances and needs among nurses providing sexual health education]

This study investigated the problems encountered by nurses delivering sexual health education, the frequency of occurrence of such problems, the types of emotional disturbances experienced by such nurses, and the needs of such nurses. Ninety urology nurses from six hospitals in northern Taiwan participated in this cross-sectional survey by completing a Problems and Needs in Sexual Health Education (PNSHE) questionnaire. Factor analysis showed that the PNSHE consisted of three dimensions: patient's response, environmental interaction, and nurses' self-preparation. Among 26 items listed as "difficult," nurses faced 23 (89%), at frequencies ranging from "half the time" to "often". They faced "moderate" degrees of emotional disturbance and "moderate" needs for assistance. Over all, Environmental interaction was the dimension which arose most frequently, caused the greatest degree of disturbance and prompted the greatest need for assistance among nurses. Nurses were frequently disturbed by the problem of "evaluating effects of sexual health education," and most needed assistance for "lacking suitable materials." Stepwise multiple regressions demonstrated that ability in providing sexual health education, years of nursing experience, and proactiveness in providing sexual health education were significant variables related to the frequency of the problems, accounting for 21% of the variance. Ability in providing sexual health education was significantly related to the degree of emotional disturbance, accounting for 6% of the variance. Ability in providing sexual health education and years of nursing experience were related to nurses' needs while providing sexual health education, accounting for 6% of the variance. The findings of this study provide information of problems and needs encountered by nurses while delivering sexual health education, and should also assist senior nurses in identifying educational courses and resources to develop competency in providing sexual education.