Sexual health care clinician in an acute spinal cord injury unit.

This article introduces the role of the sexual health care clinician, a nonphysician specialist trained to diagnose and treat sexual dysfunctions of disabled persons. Under medical supervision, the clinician is part of the treatment team in an acute spinal cord injury unit, a general rehabilitation center and an extended care unit. The clinician's role includes direct patient care; education for professionals, students and community agencies; liaison with other rehabilitation groups; and research. The process of sexual rehabilitation is conceptualized and experience with the specialty in an acute setting is described. Experience indicates that sexual assessment, diagnosis and management is a technical specialty which requires in-depth training. The major contributions of the service are an early legitimization of sex-related concerns; the crystallization of physiologic emotional and social capabilities and needs; and the specific instructions for experimentation with various sexual alternatives.