Surrogate Role

Name: Oscar Diaz

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I agree that the surrogate role defined by Peplau is relevant to the nursing practice as currently experienced because the primary purpose of the nurse-client relationship in nursing is to offer effective nursing care that can lead to health promotion and maintenance. Peplau maintains that nurses should adopt specific helping roles in providing care (Wasaya et al., 2021). These roles include the surrogate, resource person, stranger, leader, teacher, and counselor roles. In the surrogate role, nurses are required to function as advocates or a substitute for other human beings closely related to the client. Some of the persons who might be closely related to the client include their parents, siblings, other relatives, friends, or even their teacher. Nurses are required to effectively perform the surrogate role because clients might unconsciously transfer their behaviors or emotions connected to a significant other onto the nurse (Forchuk, 2021). Nurses can deal with such situations by addressing the client’s reaction and helping them acknowledge the differences and similarities between themselves and others.

In the surrogate role, nurses should also assist patients in clarifying the different domains of interdependence, dependence, and as well independence. Some of the ways that nurses can promote independence among patients include providing helpful information, using motivational interviewing, and emphasizing partnership. In Today’s date, it is essential for health care providers and other nursing staff to work closely with patients to develop a better care plan and lower risk factors. Explaining all the benefits of partnership can significantly assist clients in becoming more comfortable in seeking health care services, thus resulting in improved relationships with providers, fewer hospitalizations, better outcomes and improved satisfaction with medical treatment (Suhariyanto et al., 2018). Motivational interviewing can also empower clients to make changes that can improve their health since they are asked several open-ended questions that let them express their fears and concerns about health. Motivational interviewing also presents other benefits, including encouraging clients to envision a future free of substance abuse or mental health challenges and helping patients take responsibility for themselves and their actions. Other advantages of motivational interviewing include building the confidence of clients and trust in themselves and preparing clients to become more receptive to treatment. It is a great aide to other therapeutic styles and substance use treatments besides being beneficial to patients who were previously resistant to starting a treatment program or those who are not ready to make the necessary changes in life.

References

Forchuk, C. (2021). Overview of Peplau’s Theory. In From Therapeutic Relationships to Transitional Care (pp. 3-15). Routledge.

Suhariyanto, Hariyati, Rr. T. S., & Ungsianik, T. (2018). Improving the interpersonal competencies of head nurses through Peplau’s theoretical active learning approach. Enfermería Clínica, 28, 149–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1130-8621(18)30056-1

Wasaya, F., Shah, Q., Shaheen, A., & Carroll, K. (2021). Peplau’s Theory of Interpersonal Relations: A Case Study. Nursing Science Quarterly, 34(4), 368–371. https://doi.org/10.1177/08943184211031573