Hildegard Peplau

Interpersonal Relationship Theory

BACKGROUNDHilda Peplau was born September 1, 1909, in

reading Pennsylvania. As a child, she witnessed the devastating flu epidemic of 1918.

This personal experience greatly influenced her understanding of the impact of illness and death on families. Peplau began her career in nursing in 1931 as a graduate of the Pottstown Hospital School of Nursing in Pennsylvania. She then worked as a staff nurse in Pennsylvania and new York City.

Peplau vigorously advocated that nurses should become further educated so they could provide truly therapeutic care to patients rather than the custodial care that was prevalent in the mental hospital of that era.

INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS IN NURSING - (1952)

Stated the need to emphasize importance of nurse patient relationship in providing health care

March 7, 1999 died at the age of 89

“ Psychiatric nurse of the century”

PSYCHODYNAMIC NURSING Peplau defines psychodynamic

nursing because her model evolves through this type of nursing.

Psychodynamic nursing is being able to understand one’s own behavior to help others identify felt difficulties, and to apply principles of human relations to the problems that arise at all levels of experience.

MAJOR ASSUMPTIONS• The kind of person the nurse

becomes makes a substantial difference in what each patient will learn as he receives nursing care.

• Fostering personality development toward maturity is a function of nursing and nursing education. Nursing uses principles and methods that guide the process toward resolution of interpersonal problems.

4 Phases of Interpersonal Theory1. Orientation The initial interaction between the nurse and

the patientThe patient has a felt need and expresses

the desire for professional assistanceThe nurse assists the patient in recognizing

and understanding the patient experience 2. IdentificationBoth nurse and patient explore the

experience and the needs of the patient which leads to a feeling of relatedness

The nurse assist the client in re orienting his feelings and sustaining a constant positive environment

3. exploitation The patient derives the full value

of the relationship as he moves on from dependent role to independent role

New goals are projected by the nurse, but the power is shifted on the patient

 4. ResolutionThe patient earns independence

over his care as he puts aside old goals and formulates a new one

Nursing Roles1. Role of a Stranger – the nurse and patient are strangers to

each other

- as the nurse attempts to know the patient better, she

must treat him with utmost courtesy and due respect

over his individuality.

2. Role of the Resource Person – the nurse provides information

3. Teaching Role

 

4. Leadership Role

 

5. Surrogate Role

 

6. Counselling Role

“ THE INTERPERSONAL THERAPEUTIC PROCESS” aim : patient to become receptive for the therapy

“ Psychological Mothering”

METAPARADIGM Nursing

Nursing described as a significant, therapeutic, interpersonal process.PersonPeplau defines person in terms of man. Man is an organism that lives in an unstable equilibrium.HealthPeplau defines health as a word symbol that implies forward movement of personality and other ongoing human processes in the direction of creative, constructive, productive, personal, and community living.Environmentforces outside the organism and in the context of the socially approved way of living from which vital human social process are derived such as norms, customs and beliefs