preview

Peplau's Middle-Range Nursing Theory

Decent Essays

In order to illustrate the importance of theory in nursing practice, I would like to consider Peplau's middle-range theory which " focuses on the interpersonal process and therapeutic relationship that develops between the nurse and client " ( Ranesh, 2013 ). The work of Hildegard. E. Peplau whose career began in psychiatric nursing was influenced by Henry Stack Sullivan, Percival Symonds, Abraham Maslow, and Neal Elger Miller and published in 1952. Subsequently, in 1968 Peplau's interpersonal techniques became the substance of psychiatric nursing underscoring four phases in a nurse-patient relationship as orientation, identification, exploitation, resolution while identifying six nurse's role: stranger, teacher, resource person, counselor, …show more content…

The last stage of this process is known as resolution bearing a connotation of termination when a person puts aside old goals and adapts new ones and feels empowered to be independent and comfortable to separate from a nurse. Although these four phases are essential in the Peplau's theory, it is crucial to keep in mind a nurse's roles which make the process achievable. Thus a brief discussion of a nurse's function is in order. First, a stranger role emphasizes the acceptance of the patient objectively, the second role as a teacher is self-explanatory explaining the role by offering information and serving as an aid to learning. The next function of a nurse, a resource person, assists in medical plan interpretation when the fourth role as counselor helps the patient to work on specific problems. The last two roles include surrogate and leadership which can be summarized as a patient advocate and lastly as a professional offering direction to the client. Conversely, every nursing theory revolves around four concepts: patient, health, environment and nursing. Hence, the Peplau's theory also addresses each and one of the concepts starting with a man " as an organism that strives in its own way to reduce tension generated by needs. The client is an individual with a felt need" (Gonzalo,

Get Access