Hildegard Peplau Interpersonal Relationship

Peplau utilized both deductive and inductive reasoning in her theory development work (Reed & Shearer, 2011). The deductive reasoning methods used were that Peplau integrated ideas from a number of theories into her theory of interpersonal relations. Influenced by works of Sigmund Freud, particularly his interest in unconscious motivation as well as Harry S. Sullivan’s theory of interpersonal relations all contributed to her development of the theory of interpersonal processes in nursing, For example she refers to Sullivan’s concepts of anxiety, self-system and modes of experiencing. (Peterson & Bredow, 2017). She also incorporated into her theory some elements from developmental psychology and learning theory (Armstrong & Kelly, 1995) and some ideas of the humanistic psychologists, Abraham Maslow, Rollo May and Carl Rogers. (Peterson & Bredow, 2017). For example, Peplau’s systematic approach to establishment of nurse-patient relationship and therapeutic intervention are ideas that resonated with Martha Rogers' theoretical assumptions about human pattern and organization. (Armstrong & Kelly, 1995).

Peplau defines nursing as the therapeutic interpersonal, serial, goal- oriented process. A health-focused human relationship( Meleis, p 165, 2012)

A therapeutic relationship is a key component in the nursing profession. Without therapeutic relationships, the best possible care can never be provided. The foundation in which trust is built upon is created from the nurse’s ability to truly listen and respond appropriately. Listening creates the base in developing a strong, trusting relationship. Sometimes it is simply hearing what a patient says that makes all the difference, empowering them to open up and become more comfortable with the nurse (Hawkins-Walsh, 2000).

Hildegard Peplau was born on September 1, 1909, and she lived until March 17, 1999, she was raised in Reading, PA by her parents. In 1918 Hildegard witnessed the devastating flu epidemic which greatly influenced her understanding of the impact of illness and death on families. Hildegard graduated in 1931 from the Pennsylvania school of nursing, received her bachelor’s degree in interpersonal psychology in 1942, received her masters and doctoral degrees from

Hildegard Peplau’s middle-range theory, Interpersonal Relations, established in 1948 and highlighted the nurse-patient relationship as the groundwork of nursing practice. Peplau supports each role individually, the nurse and the patient, by ensuring that equal participation is implemented to reach a mutual goal. For example, the role of the patient reflects vulnerability and the expectation to be open to the health care providers throughout care and treatment plan. Subsequently, the nurse is supposed to facilitate a reciprocated relationship by noting the client’s behavior, defining the client’s illness, creating the most proper care for the client, understanding the physician’s treatment plan and confirming it, and intervening when required (Sue Penckofer, 2013).

Effective nursing practice is in need of on an effective therapeutic relationship between the nurse and the client. This instruction addresses the qualities and capacities of an effective therapeutic relationship, the state of knowledge, and the information needed to be effective. To implement a therapeutic relationship effectively, hospitals characteristics must be supportive. The therapeutic relationship is also known as the helping alliance and it refers to the bond between a healthcare professional and a client. It is the means of professional hopes to involve with, so as to change the outcome result of the client. This relationship is significant to the client’s orientation

With many theories on nursing, the nurse must determine which approach is best suited to her particular skills and patient population. In 1952 Hildegard E. Peplau presented her theory on interpersonal relations in regard to nursing care and practice, providing a model for nurses to aid patients in healing and overcoming illness through personal interaction (Cherry & Jacob, 2011, p. 96).

Peplau’s work is well-known and several publications have used her interpersonal relations in nursing theory in various settings and contexts. Various research applications of Peplau’s interpersonal relations theory include application in emergency and rural nursing (Senn, 2013), patients with long-term serious mental illness (Kim & Kim, 2007), psychiatric workforce development (Armstrong & Kelly, 2007), adolescents with mental health problems (Davies & Huws-Thomas, (2007), and healthcare professionals and ethnopharmacology (Warren, 2008).

Theorist Hildegard Peplau set the foundational elements for newly graduated students to introduce the importance of patient/nurse relationships into their practice (Peplau 1991). Peplau’s book is mainly directed toward psychiatric patients, but improving interpersonal skills with patients from all disciplines will create a caring, informative environments for individualized care plans (D’Antionio, Beeber, Sills, & Naegle, 2014). Also,

In comparison, Middle range theory is composed by clear propositions and can contain testable hypothesis (Armstrong, & Kelly, 1995). As a result, Peplau’s Interpersonal relationship theory is a middle range theory because the proposition of her theory are testable, specific and limited (Armstrong, & Kelly, 1995). In her theory, she applies the principle of human relationships and explained that the nurse and patient should work together to gain more knowledge in the care process (Gastmans, 1998). She used deductive reasoning in her theory because she integrated ideas of other theorists

A nurse-patient relationship is the basic requirements in all practice settings. Its usage is to manage communication between an organization and a public while maintaining boundaries in the therapeutic relationship. Based on Peplau’s interpersonal theory, communication takes place in a nurse-client relationship where therapeutic process occurs involving complex factors such as environment, attitudes, practices, and beliefs in the dominant culture (seu.edu, 2015). The actions of each person in a nurse-patient relationship is measured on the collaboration of their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Nurse’s work to attain, maintain, and restore the patient’s health until patient have fulfilled the health care needs. Patient must be guided and provided a well-respected environment until a better health and specific needs are fully considered in the relationship. In this kind of setting, nurse’s must create relationship with patients by communicating receptivity, assimilating the concepts of empathy, trust, genuineness, respect, and confidentiality into their interactions.

The therapeutic nurse-patient relationship is known as a close and consistent connection approaching during patients’

By giving nurses a sense of identity, nursing theory can help patients, managers and other healthcare professionals to recognize the unique contribution that nurses make to the healthcare service (Draper 1990).Hildegard Peplau, one of the role model of nursing theorist, established a theory of interpersonal relationships in nursing. Her reason is the goal of the nurse-client relationship is to give a quality nursing care moving forward to health promotion and maintenance. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a basic assessment of her theory.

Research in the professional practice of nursing was built upon a wide variety of theories that were presented by many well-known nursing theorists. Nursing theories that may be recognized today include Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory, Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory, Madeleine Leininger’s Cultural Care Theory, and Hildegard Peplau’s Interpersonal Process Theory. These individuals and their respective theories

Clear role definition is essential to the development of the psychiatric nurse. The expanded role of the psychiatric nurse is clearly identified in the literature for many areas of care such for the forensic psychiatric nurse in Lyons (2009), the nurse practitioner in O’Neil, Moore, and Ryan (2008); Kaye et al. (2009) , and for the mental health liaison nurse in Merritt and Procter ( 2010). However, a clear role definition for the generalist nurse is not easily found (Rungapadiachy & Gough, 2004). According to these authors, a definition of the generalist role and its associated behaviors are not easily articulated. Hildegard Peplau, the only psychiatric nursing theorist (McKenna & Slevin, 2008) identifies nursing roles that