A Surrogate Role In Nursing Can Be Defined As A Situation

A Surrogate Role In Nursing Can Be Defined As A Situation Where A Nurs

A surrogate role in nursing can be defined as a situation where a nurse acts as an advocate or a substitute for a patient's closely related person. Peplau, however, defines the surrogate role in a more comprehensive way that gives the nurse the role of advocating for the patient's welfare and acting, including interpersonal relationships. The role of a nurse has evolved over the years, from simply being a caregiver to becoming a comprehensive health care provider. In the early 1900s, nurses were primarily viewed as assistants to physicians who administered treatments and cared for patients. However, with the advent of modern healthcare practices and the recognition of the importance of nursing in patient care, nurses have become integral members of healthcare teams.

Hildegard Peplau was one of the pioneers of modern nursing who contributed significantly to developing nursing. She was a nurse theorist who believed the relationship between nurses and patients should be based on a therapeutic partnership (Forchuk, 2021). Peplau's theory of interpersonal relations identified several roles that a nurse should adopt when working with patients, including the surrogate role. The surrogate role is defined as a role in which the nurse acts as a substitute for the patient's family, providing emotional support and comfort to the patient in their absence. The surrogate role is still relevant in nursing practice today.

The surrogate role is even more relevant now that healthcare has become more complex with patients wanting effective services from the healthcare providers. The healthcare system has become more complex, and patients are often hospitalized for extended periods. Patients may not have family members or friends available to be with them during their hospitalization. In such cases, the nurse assumes the surrogate role, providing emotional support and comfort to the patient. Moreover, patients are often anxious and worried about their medical condition and treatment outcome.

As a result, they need someone to talk to and express their fears and concerns. The surrogate role enables nurses to emotionally support patients and address their psychological needs (Mudd, Feo, Conroy, & Kitson, 2020). Nurses can help reduce anxiety and stress levels by establishing a therapeutic relationship with patients and improving health outcomes. The surrogate role is also relevant when patients cannot make decisions for themselves, such as when they are in a coma or have a severe mental illness. In such cases, nurses advocate for the patient, ensuring their rights and wishes are protected.

The nurse may consult with the patient's family members and healthcare team to make decisions on the patient's behalf. The surrogate role is crucial in palliative care and end-of-life care. Patients nearing the end of their lives may feel isolated and alone. The nurse, as a surrogate, can provide emotional support, comfort, and companionship to the patient. The nurse can also assist family members in coping with their loved one's impending death.

In conclusion, the surrogate role defined by Peplau is still relevant in nursing practice today. The healthcare system has become more complex, and patients need emotional support and comfort during hospitalization. The surrogate role enables nurses to establish therapeutic relationships with patients, address their psychological needs, and advocate for patients who cannot make decisions for themselves. Nurses adopting the surrogate role can contribute to improved health outcomes, particularly in palliative and end-of-life care.

Paper For Above instruction

The concept of the surrogate role in nursing is fundamentally rooted in the profession’s commitment to holistic, patient-centered care. As healthcare has advanced, so too has the understanding of a nurse’s role beyond traditional care duties, encompassing emotional support, advocacy, and acting as a surrogate for family members when necessary. This role is vital in various clinical contexts, notably in palliative and critical care settings, where patients often face scenarios compromising their ability to communicate or make decisions.

The theoretical underpinning of the surrogate role was significantly shaped by Hildegard Peplau’s interpersonal relations theory. Peplau’s model emphasizes forming therapeutic relationships based on trust, empathy, and mutual respect, positioning the nurse as a vital link between the patient and their environment (Peplau, 1952). Her conceptualization of the surrogate role highlights the nurse’s obligation to stand in for family members, offering emotional reassurance and reducing feelings of isolation, especially when loved ones cannot be physically present. This dimension of nursing underscores the importance of emotional intelligence and compassionate communication skills in delivering effective care.

In contemporary nursing practice, the surrogate role has expanded to address the complexities of modern healthcare. Patients are now more likely to experience prolonged hospital stays, often in high-dependency units, where family visitation may be limited due to institutional policies or health crises such as pandemics. Under such circumstances, nurses serve as essential emotional anchors, providing comfort and a sense of security to patients vulnerable to anxiety and fear. These emotional supports are particularly crucial for patients with chronic illnesses or those receiving end-of-life care, where psychological needs are paramount (Mudd et al., 2020).

Further, the surrogate role encompasses the responsibility of advocacy, particularly for patients who lack decision-making capacity, such as those in a coma or suffering from severe mental health deterioration. Nurses in these situations act as surrogate decision-makers, working in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams and families to uphold the patient’s wishes and best interests. Ethical considerations, including respecting autonomy and ensuring informed consent, are central to this aspect of the surrogate role (Mason & Laurie, 2021).

In palliative and end-of-life care, the surrogate role is especially significant. Patients nearing death often confront feelings of abandonment and fear. Nurses, through their surrogate role, provide not only emotional support and companionship but also facilitate communication between the patient and their loved ones. This helps in alleviating psychological distress and creating a peaceful environment conducive to dignity and respect at the end of life (Hancock & Laabs, 2017). Furthermore, nurses assist families by guiding them through complex emotional reactions, decision-making processes regarding treatment options, and anticipatory grief, making their role essential for holistic palliative care.

Adopting Peplau’s concept of the surrogate role requires nurses to possess a range of competencies, including emotional resilience, cultural sensitivity, effective communication, and ethical reasoning. Training programs emphasizing patient-centered communication and emotional intelligence can enhance nurses’ ability to perform this multifaceted role effectively (Forchuk, 2021). Additionally, institutional policies must support nurses’ emotional well-being to sustain their capacity to act as compassionate surrogates.

In conclusion, the surrogate role remains a cornerstone of nursing practice, integral to providing comprehensive, empathetic care that addresses the psychological needs of patients. As healthcare continues to evolve with technological and societal changes, the importance of this role is magnified, requiring nurses to adapt and uphold the core values of the profession—compassion, advocacy, and patient dignity. Recognizing and strengthening the surrogate role will facilitate better health outcomes, foster therapeutic relationships, and ensure that patient care remains genuinely holistic and humanistic.

References

• Forchuk, C. (2021). Peplau’s theory of interpersonal relations: A foundation for contemporary nursing practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 77(3), 598-607.
• Hancock, P., & Laabs, S. (2017). End-of-life care: The nurse’s role as a surrogate. Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing, 19(2), 146-152.
• Mason, D., & Laurie, G. (2021). Ethical decision-making in nursing: The role of surrogate decision-makers. Nursing Ethics, 28(4), 523-533.
• Mudd, S., Feo, R., Conroy, R., & Kitson, A. (2020). Emotional support in nursing: A review of practice and evidence. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 29(21-22), 3832-3842.
• Peplau, H. E. (1952). Interpersonal relations in nursing. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.