Overview
This lecture covers Hildegard Peplau's Interpersonal Relations Theory, focusing on key concepts, phases, nurse roles, and its relevance in nursing practice.
Hildegard Peplau: Background
- Born September 1, 1909, in Pennsylvania, USA.
- Graduated from Pennsylvania's School of Nursing in 1931.
- Certified psychoanalyst and leader in psychiatric nursing education.
- Developed graduate psychiatric nursing classes and served as an advisor for the World Health Organization.
Interpersonal Relations Theory: Core Concepts
- The nurse-patient relationship is the foundation of nursing as a partnership.
- Four main concepts: person, environment, health, and nursing.
- Person—organism seeking to reduce anxiety caused by needs.
- Environment—external forces acting on the person.
- Health—forward movement of personality toward growth.
- Nursing—therapeutic interpersonal process enabling health.
Four Phases of the Nurse-Patient Relationship
- Orientation: Nurse and patient meet as strangers; patient expresses needs; both define and clarify the issues.
- Identification: Patient and nurse partner to set goals; patient starts engaging in the process.
- Exploitation: Patient actively uses nurse's expertise to meet needs through collaboration.
- Resolution: Patient’s needs are met; dependency ends; patient moves on, both having matured.
Seven Key Nursing Roles (Peplau)
- Stranger: Nurse treats the patient with acceptance as a new acquaintance.
- Resource: Nurse provides information and answers within context.
- Teacher: Nurse helps patient learn, formally or informally.
- Leader: Nurse directs patient or group.
- Surrogate: Nurse acts as a substitute for another figure (parent, sibling).
- Counselor: Nurse facilitates experiences that promote health.
- Technical Expert: Nurse provides physical care and operates relevant equipment.
Assumptions and Limitations
- Effective nurse-patient interaction requires communication and willingness to grow.
- Nurses should facilitate patient growth without imposing their beliefs.
- Theory is mainly applicable where conversation is possible, limiting use in non-communicative patients.
- Not limited to psychiatric nursing, but roles can be adapted across settings.
- Does not focus on health promotion or patients unaware of their needs.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Interpersonal Relations Theory — A nursing theory emphasizing the therapeutic nurse-patient relationship.
- Orientation Phase — Initial meeting where needs are identified.
- Exploitation Phase — Patient utilizes available resources to meet their needs.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review Peplau’s four phases and seven roles.
- Consider how to apply the theory in different nursing scenarios.
- Reflect on situations where communication barriers limit theory application.