Lisa Latham 1
Hildegard E. Peplau (1952)
Interpersonal Relations as a Nursing Process: Man as an Organism That Exists in an Unstable
Equilibrium
Peplau developed the theory as interpersonal relationships. She was a staff nurse, researcher, and an
educator. She urged nurses to talk to her patients and use them as sources of observation from which
concepts could be derived that were unique to nursing (Peden, 2001). The nurse uses the nurse-
patient relationship to assess the patient’s psychological, emotional, and spiritual needs with learned
communication skills, personal strengths, and an understanding of human behavior. The result is to
produce desirable goals that benefit the patient. In any patient setting, trust occurs when the patient is
confident in the nurse’s conveyance of integrity and reliability. It is through the nurse-patient
relationship that the nurse can express empathy toward the patient.
Three phases: orientation, working, termination phase
The initial phase of Peplau’s theory is orientation. During this time the patient has health-
seeking behaviors. The introductions begin, and boundries are set.
Phase two of Peplau’s theory is the working phase, which is appropriately named because
most of the work of the relationship occurs here. This is further categorized into two
subcategories: identification and exploitations. The nurse models appropriate actions to
take for determined situations.
Phase three: termination phase-This phase allows the nurse and patient to disengage from
their relationship. The nurse summarizes the care, action plans, and organizes actions for
independence.
According to Koloroutis (2010), the nurse patient relationship is the foundation for excellent care
delivery.
