PURPOSE.To review salient factors affecting assessment and objective measures available for use in assessment.
SOURCE.Literature specific to nursing assessment of sexuality and to instruments measuring altered sexuality.
CONCLUSIONS.Many standards of care include the assessment of sexuality, and nurses believe it to be an important aspect of care. However, the assessment of altered sexuality does not often occur in actual practice. The use of an objective measure of sexuality is recommended for both initial and on-going assessments in acute-care and community-based settings.
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