Nursing Theory Lecture 8: Hildegard Peplau

Hildegard Peplau 

(1951) 

Interpersonal Relations Theory 

Interpersonal Relations Theory 
• Defined Nursing: “An interpersonal process of therapeutic interactions between an Individual who is sick or in need of health services and a nurse especially educated to recognize, respond to the need for help.
• Nursing is a “maturing force and an educative instrument”
• Identified 4 phases of the Nurse - Patient relationship:

1. Orientation - individual/family has a “felt need” and seeks professional assistance from a nurse (who is a stranger). This is the problem identification phase.

2. Identification - where the patient begins to have feelings of belongingness and a capacity for dealing with the problem, creating an optimistic attitude from which inner strength ensues. Here happens the selection of appropriate professional assistance.

3. Exploitation - the nurse uses communication tools to offer services to the patient, who is expected to take advantage of all services.

4. Resolution - where patient’s needs have already been met by the collaborative efforts between the patient and the nurse. Therapeutic relationship is terminated and the links are dissolved, as patient drifts away from identifying with the nurse as the helping person.


Metaparadigm 

Person 
• An organism striving to reduce tension generated by needs

Environment 
• The interpersonal process is always included, and psychodynamic milieu receives attention, with emphasis on the client’s culture and mores.

Health 
• Ongoing human process that implies forward movement of personality and other ongoing human processes in the direction of creative, constructive, productive, personal, and community living.

Nursing 
• Interpersonal therapeutic process that “functions cooperatively with others human processes that make health possible for individuals in communities. Nursing is an educative instrument, a maturing force that aims to promote forward movement of personality.