Need help with a careplan on sexual dysfunction of the post op patient...

If priority nursing diagnoses = boring to you, you're going to have a LOOOOONG career.

Pick a priority diagnosis and do it well. There are plenty of post-op issues that are far more critical than sexual dysfunction. Of course it's important, but first she needs to get healthy.

I would also pick a priority diagnosis -- I'm surprised you can pick non-priority ones, my program has us identify five and then write up the most important three. Things like risk for infection seem more important than giving her man an old-fashioned, you know?

I personally don't think you have enough evidence for the sexual dysfunction diagnosis. For this diagnosis, there needs to be some evidence of decreased libido, physiologic challenges with sex, etc. There isn't any indication that she has a cessation in sexual activity, as she is a fresh post-op. You may be able to make a better case for Disturbed Body Image, due to their patient's fear and potential inaccuracies about the changes the surgery will have on her life. Of course, choosing a priority diagnosis (infection, fall risk, self-care) would be easier and probably more beneficial for your education at this point, since you will see those diagnoses frequently.

I'm also concerned about your goals. Your long term goal- get back to healthy sex life- is that measureable? Timed? What does a healthy sex life even mean? It doesn't sound very specific to me. How did you choose the short term goal "the patient will have sex within two months."? Did you discuss this with the patient? Sex is a personal decision, no matter what the circumstance and, as a patient, I certainly wouldn't appreciate a nurse setting a goal telling me when I should be having sex again without my input.

If you really wanted to talk with this patient about her concerns about sex after surgery, simply ask her about her fear, assess why she thinks she won't be having sex (Does she think she will be too weak? In too much pain? Will she feel undesirable?), and provide the correct education using information about the surgical procedure and normal sexual functioning of older women.

Let me clarify my intentions:

We need to hand in a hypothetical care plan b/c our neurosurgery rotation finished before the task was set- it's not possible for me to speak with this patient and clarify a care plan.

Secondly, I am fully aware that there are WAY more important care plans for this patient than sexual disfunction, I just thought it would be nice to challenge myself, kind of take me out of my comfort zone.

Third, said patient already had a mastectomy and many other procedures in the past, so I think that the body image issue, as important as it is, is not the source of her anxiety about sex, it's the actual mechanics of it- she's worried about her back ("before this operation I had a sex life, but now, I think that's over"- her words).