Nurses’ experiences and reactions towards intimacy and sexuality expressions by nursing home residents: A qualitative study

Objectives To better understand how nurses experience and react to intimate and sexual expressions of nursing home residents. Background Although many nursing home residents continue to desire intimacy and sexual expression, they commonly perceive negative attitudes of nursing staff towards them as a major barrier to their sexual well‐being. To eliminate this barrier, it is crucial to gain a more in‐depth understanding of nurses’ personal experiences and reactions towards intimacy and sexuality in aged care. Design Our study used a qualitative design, rooted in grounded theory. Methods Semi‐structured interviews with 15 nurses between 34 and 59 years of age were conducted. Participating nurses were recruited from seven different nursing homes in Flanders, Belgium. We used the Qualitative Analysis Guide of Leuven (QUAGOL) for data analysis. We followed the COREQ guidelines to ensure rigour in our study. Results Nurses experienced and dealt with intimate and sexual expressions of residents in an individual way, which was focused on setting and respecting their own sexual boundaries and those of residents and family members. Depending on their comfort level with residents’ expressions, nurses responded in three ways: active facilitation, tolerance and termination. Nurses’ responses depended on contextual factors, including their personal experiences with sexuality, the nature of their relationship with the residents involved, the presence of dementia and the organisational culture of the facility. Conclusions Nurses face a wide range of experiences and emotions when confronted with residents’ expressions of sexuality and intimacy. A supportive approach is needed to guide nurses in dealing with these highly sensitive situations. This approach can be promoted at the institutional level through continuous educational programmes. Relevance to clinical practice This study advocates a contextual and interpretative ethical approach to sexuality in older adults, taking as starting point nurses’ own vulnerability and that of residents and relatives.