ESSAY HNO6008 Mental Health Nursing

HNO6008 Mental Health Nursing

Answer

Hildegard Peplau’s Nurse-Patient Relationship And Its Applications

Overview Of The Theory:

The nurse-patient relationship consists of two persons (patient and nurse), expertise, and need of patient. The nurse-patient relationship focuses on increase the patient’s inherent advancement. Peplau emphasized that nurse-patient interactions should be based on therapeutic communications instead of social chitchat. It increases the nurse’s skill in interpersonal relationships. To help the patient return to a healthy life the nurse should be a skilled listener and respond accordingly. The nurse-patient relationship is very much dependent on both verbal and nonverbal communication and supervision.

Discussion Of The Theory:

The four phases of the nurse-patient relationship described by Peplau were refined by Forchuk.

Orientation phase: This stage is important as in this phase the new and unfamiliar relationship between them grows into matured one. In this phase patient’s needs are recognized and assessed. Trust starts to develop in this phase.

Working phase: Here the aim is on both patient and nurse where one utilizes the available sources and the other functions as the resource person, teacher, surrogate and counsellor. Depending on the capacity of development, anxiety, self-awareness, and requirements the patient may act dependently, independently, or interdependently. This phase is flexible. This phase prepares the client to become responsible and independent so that they can easily face the challenges in the future.

Resolution phase: In this last phase being distanced from the nurse and increasing the ability to manage care helps the patient to be dependent on the independent phase. Completion of this phase leads to termination of the relationship of nurse and patient and also the initiation of planning of future sources of support.

The Implication Of The Theory:

Forchuk conducted almost all the research that tested Peplau’s nurse-patient relationship. He mainly focused on the orientation phase. He developed a one-page instrument called Relationship form which defined the current relationship phase and also the overall progression from one phase to another. Parrish, Peden, and Staten integrated Peplau’s nurse-patient relationship into the work of psychiatric nurses by exploring strategies including active listening and partnering with the patient in community settings. Merritt and Proctor used Peplau’s theory to teach the nurses to successfully engage the patient were patients who experienced psychiatric disorders but had no symptoms. In Relationship-based care found by St. Mary’s, the healing and caring environment must be formed around the patient’s and their family’s needs who belong to the core of the care team.

Strength And Limitation Of The Theory:

The strength of the theory is that it is applied and modified to many aspects to increase the professionalism of the nurses which also helps a patient to return to a normal healthy life. But sometimes it is seen that when professionalism turns into friendship, the boundary between the patient and the nurse becomes violated and nursing care deteriorates. And also, as per Peplau, in the therapeutic mode of interaction, chitchat or developing friendships become prohibited. These become the limitations.

References:

C Smith, M., & E Parker, M. (2015). Nursing Theories & Nursing Practice. https://125.212.201.8:6008/handle/DHKTYTHD_123/5924