Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 13th Edition by Kerry Cheever, Janice Hinkle

Exercise 1

A 26-year-old man with who experienced a spinal cord injury (SCI) 2 years ago is apatient on a medical unit for treatment of a pressure ulcer. As a result of his SCI, hehas no sensation below the thorax and has loss of bowel and bladder function andmobility.He is able to eat and use a computer with assistive devices.During hishospital stay, he told the nurse caring for him that he really wants to have sex.Hereports that he has a new girlfriend and is afraid that if he cannot have sex with her,she will leave him.How will you respond to him? What aspects of assessment areindicated? What suggestions or recommendations can you provide?