The Theory Of Goal Attainment

Communication is one of the basic survival skills of human and also a fundamental part of nursing. Effective communication would help to promote a positive nurse-client relationship which is crucial for the delivery of quality nursing care (Sheppard, 1993; McCabe 2003).

Communication involves information being sent, received and decoded between two or more people (Balzer-Riley 2008) and involves the use of a number of communication skills; which in a nursing context generally focuses on listening and giving information to patients (Weller 2002). This process of sending and receiving messages has been described as both simple and complex (Rosengren 2000 in McCabe 2006, p.4). It is a process which is continually utilised by nurses to convey and receive information from the patient, co-workers, others they come into contact with and the patient’s family.

McCabe C. (2004) Nurse-patient communication: an exploration of patients’ experiences. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 13, 41-49.

Interprofessional practice for the professional nurse can be defined as collaboration and shared decision making with other health care professionals to improve care and provide safe outcomes for patients. Since nurse are central to the care of the patient, they are often viewed as the communicator and the coordinator of the patient’s care (Burzotta & Nobel, 2011). Nurses have a unique opportunity as a interprofessional team member given their scope of knowledge about the patient. However, nurses struggle with role-identify when a part of an interprofessional team. The work of nurses do is often viewed as non-professional and more task driven by

King’s Theory of Goal Attainment was proposed in the 1960s and published in 1981. It was derived from her conceptual system which presented in 1968, and incorporates the concept of self, perception, growth, development, time, interaction, communication, role, and coping. The Theory of Goal Attainment is a practice methodology based on the nurse and patient setting goals together, and the nurse assisting the patient to meet these goals they set for their health (Caceres, 2015). These interactions between the nurse and patient are the process in which the professional relationship develops, mutual goals are set, and actions are planned to achieve these goals. It is an interaction-transaction process and is based on the nursing

Communication is any form of expressing and receiving of messages between individuals. The importance of Communication in the nursing profession is to maintain high quality care for the patient but also maintain effective collaboration between professionals. Boykins, D (2014) states that the “registered nurse is expected to communicate in various formats and in all areas of practice”. Various formats include speaking to patients and coworkers as well as utilizing appropriate protocols and systems to effectively communicate regards to patient’s status.

This essay will highlight one of the key concepts of nursing .The concept that will be discussed in this essay will be communication, the reason for this chosen concept is that communication plays a vital role in everyday occurrences which defines how a situation is perceived by yourself, others and how communication is effectively handled . There will be a definition on what communication is also an evaluation of the chosen concept will be explored throughout this essay.

As a nurse, communication is an essential and important factor to building a therapeutic relationship between a nurse and patient as it is the difference between average and excellent nursing care, as it helps maintain a good quality of life and allows nurses’ and patients to interact and provide comfort when needed. The importance of good communication can become apparent with patients especially when they are in the hospital, as it helps the nurses build a positive relationship with patients and helps overcome barriers including physical, psychological and social. A therapeutic relationship is built on many factors which include both verbal and non-verbal communication which helps maintains the relationship and strengthens it due to the positive impact it has not only on the patient’s experience but also the nurse’s.

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 combination of these objectives will help everyone to understand the most critical factors impacting care. Once this takes place, is the point that these ideas can be used to create a basic philosophy when interacting with various stakeholders. ("Nursing Program Goals and Objectives," 2012)

Imogene King was the Midwestern, twentieth century nursing theorist that developed the conceptual system and theory of goal attainment and transactional process. Although not without controversy, her theory has been the spring board for some middle range nursing theories and nursing education programs. This theory is particularly intriguing to individuals who are goal driven and will be explored in detail in the following paragraphs.

Arnold E (1999). Interpersonal Relationships: Professional Communication Skills for Nursing. 3rd Edition. Philadelphia: WB Saunders Company.

Nurses tend to spend more time with patients than any other member of the health care team. As a person that spends a lot of time with each patient, he or she is a communicator for the patients in view of the fact that they interact with all roles within the healthcare system. Ms. Jennings states that “As a communicator, the nurse understands that effective communication

“The basic concept of the theory is that the nurse and patient communicate information, set goals together, and then take actions to achieve those goals. It describes an interpersonal relationship that allows a person to grow and develop in order to attain certain life goals. The factors that affect the attainment of goals are roles, stress, space, and time” (Nursing Theory, 2011).   King desired to advance the profession of nursing by developing a framework and theory that can be understood and used by all nurses, in any situation. She not only developed the theory but she always remained active in the profession and availed herself to nursing students around the clock to aid with their knowledge and application of the theory right up until her sudden death in 2007.

Within nursing, there is a very delicate balance between a nurse and her patient that must be maintained if the patient is to receive the care that he or she is entitled to receive. The patient must feel comfortable trusting his nurse to hear his needs and respond to them appropriately and in order for this to be the case, the nurse must first provide therapeutic communication effective enough to elicit such a response in her patient. There are both verbal and non-verbal components within the nurse-patient relationship. These components greatly influence how a nurse and patient will relate to each other and, ultimately, greatly influence the care that the patient receives.