Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan

College of Nursing

NCM 114
A Journal Reading:

“Incorporating Peplau’s Theory of Interpersonal Relations to Promote Holistic

Communication Between Older Adults and Nursing Students”

Submitted by:
Gerel Angela S. Orcullo
BSN 3 – NC

Submitted to:
Ma’am Gemma V. Panal, RN, MN, LPT
Clinical Instructor

August 28, 2020

 SUMMARY

When life expectancy increases, older people may engage with several health
care services to manage acute and chronic illnesses. Such experiences involve
nursing students who use various healthcare settings to fulfill the professional skill
standards of their programs. The Nursing Faculty is responsible for promoting the
learning of patients in the program from basic human needs, to holistic communication,
to specialized medical surgical techniques. While educating students on holistic
communication, there is still a lack of a credible system for undertaking the challenge
of teaching holistic communication skills. Nursing students preparing to function as
licensed practitioners need to develop appropriate knowledge to holistically care for
older adults.

The purpose of this article is to explore Hildegard Peplau 's interpersonal

relations theory as a tool for teaching nursing students to understand holistic
communication strategies in their interactions with older adults. Peplau 's theory offers
a valuable series of three interlocking and sometimes overlapping working phases for
nurse interactions with patients in the form of a nurse-patient relationship. Nursing
education should use the three stages of Peplau 's interpersonal relations theory to
teach students to interact holistically with older adults.
 REACTION

The therapeutic nurse-patient relationship is focused on shared trust and

affection, fostering faith and hope, being compassionate to oneself and others, and
seeking to fulfill one's physical, emotional and spiritual needs through one's knowledge
and skill. Effective communication is an integral aspect of promoting the well-being
and overall healing process of older adults. Nurses have a responsibility to ensure that
elderly people know they are being listened to and that their needs are being answered
in a non-judgmental way.

Holistic communication applied to older adults is essential because given the

fact that as one grows older, they are more likely to be sensitive in terms of their
emotions. As a student nurse, it is important to know these concepts so that when I
get into the actual clinical setting, I can be able to communicate appropriately to my
patient, so in that way, a positive connection will be formed between us. In this manner,
my clients in the future will be able to have the comfort and satisfaction when they
have me as their companion. Effective communication can also be difficult to maintain
mainly as a result of aging, but nurses can address some of the challenges through
strategic responses. It is important to treat older people as individuals and to monitor
and adjust communications appropriately. In doing so, nurses can ensure that elderly
people are encouraged, respected and able to maintain their independence.

In connection to the subject matter, I think developing the skill of effective

communication should not be centered in the clinical setting only. This concept should
also be practiced in everyday scenarios. A lot of people have misunderstandings that
leads to negative outcomes, so by applying this theory outside the field of nursing, this
may also help us build a more effective communication and positive relationships with
other individuals.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Deane, W. H., & Fain, J. A. (2015). Incorporating Peplau’s Theory of Interpersonal

Relations to Promote Holistic Communication Between Older Adults and Nursing
Students. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 34(1), 35–41.