Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2021 Apr;57(2):948-952.
doi: 10.1111/ppc.12591. Epub 2020 Jul 30.

The gray zone of patient-nurse communication: Inappropriate sexual behavior

Esra Uslu  1 , Kadriye Buldukoglu  2
Affiliations
Review

The gray zone of patient-nurse communication: Inappropriate sexual behavior

Esra Uslu et al. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2021 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose: This review was written to examine the incidences of inappropriate sexual behavior (ISB) and to study the responsibilities of nurses in the management of ISB.

Conclusions: When nurses experience ISB, they tend to describe this situation as harassment. However, the use of the phrase "harassment" indicates inadequate professionalism because although disturbing, not every incidence of ISB is an expression of adult sexuality. Some patients are also likely to use this type of behavior to mask their existing life stress. As a result, nurses have difficulty interpreting and managing behavior that falls in this gray zone.

Practice implications: To support nurses, we recommended that studies that define ISB, determine its prevalence, evaluate it, and guide nurses in the management of ISB should be carried out.

Keywords: communication; harassment; inappropriate sexual behavior; nursing.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

REFERENCES

    1. Sheldon LK, Barrett R, Ellington L. Difficult communication in nursing. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2006;38(2):141-147.
    1. Timmins F. Managers' duty to maintain good workplace communications skills. Nurs Manage. 2011;18(3):30-34. https://doi.org/10.7748/nm2011.06.18.3.30.c8538
    1. Acar G, Buldukoğlu K. Difficulties of students' in communication with patients and their perception of difficult patient. J Psychiatr Nurs. 2016;7(1):7-12.
    1. Akgün-Çitak E, Avci S, Basmaci Ö, Durukan İ. Investigating the communication behaviours of nurses towards patients defined as difficult by nurses in a university hospital. Turk J Res Develop Nurs. 2011;13(1):35-44.
    1. Thompson SM. Responding to inappropriate client sexual behaviors: perspectives on effective supervision. J Psychother Integr. 2020;30(1):122.