A client is concerned that she and her husband, now that they have a b

A client is concerned that she and her husband, now that they have a baby in the house, will be unable to maintain a healthy sexual relationship. To assist these clients, it would be most helpful for the nurse to know:

1. If they share parenting beliefs
2. How long they have been married
3. How comfortable they are in communicating their feelings to each other
4. The level of knowledge they have regarding healthy sexual relationships

ANSWER

ANS: 3
In response to identified concerns, the nurse may initiate discussion. Knowing of the comfort level in communicating their feelings provides an open dialogue enabling the client to talk freely with the nurse to address the concerns. To assist the clients in their situational change, the nurse needs to explore communication and sexual patterns of the couple. Having similar parenting be-liefs will have less impact on their sexual relationship. To assist the couple in adjusting to the change of becoming a family, the nurse needs to explore communication patterns of the couple. How long they have been married would be less significant. The level of knowledge they have regarding healthy sexual relationships would not be as impacting on their sexual relationship as would their ability to discuss their feelings with one another.