Introduction:

Sexuality is a human dimension that needs to be taken care of due to its impact on the comprehensive health of people.

Objective:

To describe the communicative process involved in the care of patients’ sexuality within professional practice environments through the insights of the constructivist grounded theory.

Materials and method:

Study based on the constructivist grounded theory, conducted with twelve nursing professionals in Medellin (Colombia) who participated in an intensive interview between June 2020 and September 2020. The analysis began with audio pre-coding. After the transcriptions, were selected incidents, to which an action code was assigned. The codes obtained were grouped according to meaning, thus forming categories and subcategories. Theoretical, analytical, and descriptive memos were cross-sectional within the analysis.

Results:

Taboo and shyness surrounding sexuality, especially when focusing on genitality, negatively affect communication and hence the caring process of patients. Therefore, professionals must listen attentively, be impartial, use a type of language that is legitimized by the patients, and demonstrate empathy in order to foster trust, bonding and connection, which allows identifying needs and acting according to the subject and the specific context of care.

Conclusion:

The care for sexuality is a communicative act where nonverbal communication prevails. This must be interpreted by health professionals to be able to respond correctly to needs and the limits established by the patients, in therapeutic communication. This is the reason why “the patient shapes us.”

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