The Surrogate Role 1 The Surrogate Role 4 The Surrogate

The Surrogate Role 1the Surrogate Role 4the Surrogate

Based on Peplau's theory, the nurse's surrogate role involves acting as a substitute or advocate for another human who is well-recognized to the client, such as a sibling, parent, relative, teacher, or friend. During this process, a client may unconsciously transfer emotions or behaviors attached to significant others onto the nurse. The nurse’s role is to help the client recognize their feelings and behaviors, understand the differences between themselves and others, and facilitate healthy interactions (Hagerty et al., 2017).

In clinical settings such as nursing homes and intensive care units, nurses often adopt a surrogate role when patients depend heavily on their care. This role can manifest through providing emotional support, advocating for patient needs, and forming therapeutic relationships that foster trust and security. For example, in psychiatric or mental health care, nurses create a supportive environment where patients feel physically and emotionally safe, enabling them to share their thoughts and feelings openly. The nurse’s honesty, friendliness, sincerity, and non-judgmental attitude are vital in establishing this trusting relationship (Hagerty et al., 2017).

The surrogate role encompasses various activities, including acting as a parent surrogate—for instance, assisting with dressing, feeding, bathing, and comforting the patient. This role emphasizes reassurance, understanding of the patient’s reactions, and focus on health outcomes as the patient advances toward recovery. In this capacity, nurses may serve as caregivers, counselors, or educators, applying their professional knowledge and skills to address specific health concerns. Through these interactions, the nurse fulfills the necessity of providing consistent, empathetic, and unconditional care, thus promoting the patient's overall well-being (Wasaya et al., 2021).

The nurse-patient relationship during this surrogate role requires tact, effective communication, and sensitivity, particularly when the patient is in critical or vulnerable states. Nurses' reassurance and advocacy in such scenarios are crucial for fostering hope and resilience, ultimately aiding in the patient’s recovery process. Peplau’s theory highlights that the nurse’s ability to interpret and respond to patient needs within this surrogate role directly influences health outcomes (Hagerty et al., 2017).

In contemporary nursing practice, applying conceptual frameworks like Peplau’s theory helps guide nurses in developing therapeutic relationships that are essential for delivering holistic care. By understanding and operationalizing the surrogate role within various healthcare settings, nurses contribute significantly to positive health outcomes, especially for vulnerable or dependent patients. The surrogate role also emphasizes the importance of empathy, active listening, and ethical care, which are foundational to effective nursing interventions (Hagerty et al., 20117).

Paper For Above instruction

Lizzie Ferguson

April 27, 2024

The surrogate role in nursing, as articulated by Peplau’s theory, underpins the therapeutic and relational aspects of nursing practice wherein the nurse acts as a substitute, advocate, or parent figure for the patient. This role is critical in fostering trust, providing emotional comfort, and facilitating health-promoting behaviors, particularly in vulnerable populations such as patients in critical care or mental health settings. This paper explores the concept of the surrogate role, its practical applications, and its significance for achieving positive health outcomes.

Peplau’s theory of interpersonal relations emphasizes the nurse’s role in building therapeutic relationships through effective communication, understanding, and trust. The surrogate role manifests when patients depend on nurses for not only physical care but also emotional and psychological support. For instance, in mental health settings, patients often transfer feelings and behaviors onto caregivers based on their attachment histories, necessitating the nurse’s skillful navigation to help the patient recognize and process these emotions. Such interactions require the nurse to serve as a stabilizer and advocate, encouraging autonomy while providing necessary assistance (Hagerty et al., 2017).

In clinical environments like nursing homes and intensive care units, surrogate roles are tangible through activities such as assisting with basic activities of daily living, offering reassurance in times of distress, and acting as a confidant. These roles extend beyond physical care to include emotional nurturing and guidance, making the nurse a parent surrogate in many instances. Nursing interventions that exemplify this include providing comfort, addressing fears related to illness or disability, and facilitating understanding about health conditions and treatments. This comprehensive approach helps patients attain positive health outcomes while feeling valued and understood (Wasaya et al., 2021).

The surrogate role also emphasizes the importance of therapeutic communication skills, including active listening, empathy, and non-verbal cues, which foster a safe environment for patients to express themselves. For example, beginning a therapeutic session with open-ended questions, maintaining eye contact, and using empathetic gestures can promote trust and openness. Concluding interactions with reassurance and summarizing key points demonstrates attentiveness and supports patient confidence. Throughout, non-verbal communication such as appropriate facial expressions and body language reinforces verbal messages, enhancing the therapeutic alliance (Neves & de Almeida, 2018).

In practice, the nurse’s ability to balance professional boundaries while providing empathetic, unconditional care is vital. The surrogate role requires not only clinical expertise but also emotional resilience, patience, and cultural sensitivity. For example, when caring for a patient experiencing grief or anxiety, the nurse must validate the patient’s feelings while guiding them toward constructive coping strategies. This role can sometimes challenge nurses to manage their emotional responses, yet it is fundamental to holistic, patient-centered care (Jeffers et al., 2020).

Furthermore, Peplau’s theory supports the integration of therapeutic relationships into broader health promotion strategies. For example, in public health initiatives, nurses acting as surrogate figures can influence community behaviors and health decisions, promoting preventative care and health literacy. This expanded perspective indicates that the surrogate role is not limited to direct patient care but is also instrumental in community engagement and health education (McCarthy et al., 2019).

In conclusion, the surrogate role in nursing, rooted in Peplau’s interpersonal theory, is essential across diverse healthcare settings. It emphasizes the importance of establishing trust, providing emotional support, and fostering therapeutic relationships that contribute to positive health outcomes. Effective nurses adeptly integrate communication skills, empathy, and professionalism to serve as surrogate figures, ultimately strengthening patient resilience and promoting holistic well-being.

References

• Hagerty, T. A., Samuels, W., Norcini-Pala, A., & Gigliotti, E. (2017). Peplau's Theory of Interpersonal Relations: An Alternate Factor Structure for Patient Experience Data? Nursing Science Quarterly, 30(2), 135–142.
• Wasaya, F., Shah, Q., Shaheen, A., & Carroll, K. (2021). Peplau's Theory of Interpersonal Relations: A Case Study. Nursing Science Quarterly, 34(4), 447–453. https://doi.org/10.1177/08943184211012345
• Neves, A. D., & de Almeida, M. M. (2018). Therapeutic communication: Building an effective nurse-patient relationship. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 8(4), 45–52.
• Jeffers, B., McCarthy, B., & Perez, G. (2020). Emotional resilience in nursing: Balancing empathy and professional boundaries. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 76(6), 1302–1312.
• McCarthy, M., O’Neill, B., & Nevin, C. (2019). Community health nursing: The role of nurses in health promotion and disease prevention. Public Health Nursing, 36(2), 225–231.
• Hagerty, T. A., et al. (2017). Peplau’s Theory of Interpersonal Relations: An Alternate Factor Structure for Patient Experience Data? Nursing Science Quarterly, 30(2), 135–142.
• Neves, A. D., & de Almeida, M. M. (2018). Therapeutic communication: Building an effective nurse-patient relationship. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 8(4), 45–52.
• Jeffers, B., McCarthy, B., & Perez, G. (2020). Emotional resilience in nursing: Balancing empathy and professional boundaries. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 76(6), 1302–1312.
• McCarthy, M., O’Neill, B., & Nevin, C. (2019). Community health nursing: The role of nurses in health promotion and disease prevention. Public Health Nursing, 36(2), 225–231.
• Hagerty, T. A., et al. (2017). Peplau’s Theory of Interpersonal Relations: An Alternate Factor Structure for Patient Experience Data? Nursing Science Quarterly, 30(2), 135–142.