Introduction
The article by Fennell (2019) titled “Discussing sexuality in Health Care: A systematic review” provides a comprehensive look at the elements that influence nurses’ instruction of patients on sexual health. This article is well-written and arranged, providing a concise summary of previous research on the topic. However, there are certain improvements that might be made to the work.
Article Prejudices, Biases, and Improvement Recommendations
First, the article may benefit from being more transparent about its own prejudices and assumptions. They state that they “believe that nurses have a responsibility to teach their patients about sexual health” (Fennell, 2019, p. 2541). While this is an admirable objective, it must be kept in mind that not all of them share this view. Some healthcare workers may feel that discussing it is inappropriate for the workplace (Bolin et al., 2021). Some individuals may feel they lack the expertise or knowledge necessary to educate others about sexual health. Being conscious of these differences and discussing them civilly is essential.
The second is that the work might have done more to combat sexism and gender norms. According to one source, “nurses’ beliefs and attitudes about sexuality can affect their willingness to talk about sexual health with patients” (Fennell, 2019, p. 2542). They do not back up their claims with evidence, however. It is important to identify some of the most widespread sexuality-related prejudices and preconceptions held by them before discussing strategies for combating them (Ford et al., 2019).
Lastly, the writing might be more welcoming of persons of different sexual orientations and gender identities. The authors consistently refer to persons as either “male” or “female” without mentioning transgender or non-binary individuals. Keep in mind that not all patients identify as male or female and that some may have sex preferences and behaviors that deviate from the norm.
Conclusion
Despite its limitations, this paper makes a substantial contribution to the literature on educating students about sexual health. The article provides a comprehensive review of the relevant literature and highlights many key considerations that influence nurses’ instruction of sexual health. More research is called for in this article, namely research that compares the perspectives of healthcare workers and patients from various socioeconomic groups.
References
Bolin, A., Whelehan, P., Vernon, M., & Antoine, K. (2021). Human Sexuality. Routledge.
Fennell, R., & Grant, B. (2019). Discussing sexuality in health care: A systematic review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 28(17-18). Web.
Ford, J. V., Corona Vargas, E., Finotelli Jr., I., Fortenberry, J. D., Kismödi, E., Philpott, A., Rubio-Aurioles, E., & Coleman, E. (2019). Why pleasure matters: Its global relevance for sexual health, sexual rights and wellbeing. International Journal of Sexual Health, 31(3), 217–230. Web.