Hildegard Peplau
Interpersonal Relations Nursing Theorist
Born in Pennsylvania, Hildegard Peplau (1909 -1999) advocated on behalf of nurses by advancing their status as professionals.
She worked progressively in the mental health field and ultimately created a conceptual framework for the interpersonal relationship between nurses and their patients.
Hildegard Peplau's Professional Credentials
In 1931, Peplau completed a nursing diploma program in her home state. She continued her education and received a Bachelor of Arts in interpersonal psychology from Bennington College. In 1947, Peplau graduated with a Master of Arts degree in psychiatric nursing from Colombia University.
Obtaining her Doctorate of Education in curriculum development in 1953, Peplau later became a professor emeritus from Rutgers. She established the first nursing post-baccalaureate program and eventually held the title of executive director and president of the American Nurses Association.
Psychodynamic Nursing and Hildegard Peplau
The conceptual aspects of psychodynamic nursing, as described by Peplau, include the nurse's understanding of his or her personal behavior in order to help patients identify their perceived difficulties.
Human relation principles are applied at various levels throughout the nurse/client interactive experience. Both patient and nurse work as a team to increase self-awareness, level of maturity, and knowledge during the process.
Hildegard Peplau's Interpersonal Relations in Nursing
Peplau compiled her theoretical framework for psychodynamic nursing into a manuscript entitled Interpersonal Relations in Nursing. Finally published in 1952 after adding a physician as co-author, Peplau's work is considered a middle range descriptive classification theory.
Her book defines elements (person, environment, health, and nursing) and discusses phases of the interpersonal process between nurse and patient. In addition, Peplau reveals the various roles nurses assume during the course of contact.
Hildegard Peplau's Phases of the Interpersonal Process
According to Peplau's theoretical framework, the interaction between client and nurse consists of four sequential phases: orientation, identification, exploitation, and resolution.
The orientation component of the experience can be influenced by factors associated with both the nurse and patient, such as personal values, culture, beliefs, expectations, and past related incidents.
Roles of Nurses as Described by Hildegard Peplau
Six nursing roles as theorized by Peplau are the stranger, teacher, resource person, counselor, surrogate, and leader.
Secondary roles played by the nurse include the technical expert, mediator, safety agent, researcher, tutor, and manager of environment.
As nurses become self-aware of their own behaviors and patterns, they can connect with patients in a more therapeutic way and foster the concept of nursing as a healing art.
Honored as a "Living Legend" by the American Academy of Nurses, Hildegard Peplau and her Interpersonal Relations Theory leave an undeniable impression and legacy for all levels of nurses and the patients they care for.
Sources:
- Nurses.info: Information and Resources for Nurses Worldwide. Hildegard Peplau. Retrieved from Nurses.info on 10 September 2009.
- CurrentNursing.com: A Portal for Nursing Professionals. Nursing Theories: Theory of Interpersonal Relations. Retrieved from CurrentNursing.com on 10 September 2009.
Nursing Theorist Hildegard Peplau
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