Posted: November 9th, 2022

Surrogate Role as Defined by Peplau

MSN5270 – Advanced Theoretical Perspectives for Nursing
Surrogate Role as Defined by Peplau
In nursing, a surrogate role is defined by Peplau as when a nurse acts as an advocate to the patient’s well-known members, such as the patient’s parents. The surrogate role is often used in other contexts, such as in relationships, modeling, and therapy. A surrogate part takes on the persona and emotions of another for a duration of time (Smith, 2020). Therefore, as defined by Peplau, a surrogate role is relevant to nursing practice as currently experienced because the nurses can Help the patients with their health and well-being. For example, a nurse can talk to the spouse of the ill patient and make them act as the spousal unit for a time before the sick spouse recovers. This way, an ill spouse does not have to feel guilty about leaving their spouse alone to attend work or fulfil other obligations.
Acquiring a surrogate role goes hand-in-hand with developing empathy. It is much easier to build empathy by putting oneself in another person’s shoes. A nurse can gain a more realistic view of their patient’s feelings, which can help them develop better relationships with their patients and contribute to several different types of relationships. A nurse may develop an intrapersonal relationship with the patient and perform some duties for the patient for a long time, and the patient will see them as a family (Pecanac & King, 2019). The family members may also call a nurse to Help in performing tasks or providing care. Medical interventions are often complex and involve different emotions, such as fear and dread, excitement, annoyance, or acceptance. They have to simulate the patient’s experience and roles to perform procedures. Parts can be acquired outside the hospital setting, for example, when a new nurse visits someone’s home instead of going to the hospital. In this situation, that person may acquire different roles from their loved one. For example, someone with dementia may receive a “super serious” part and obsess over minor things that their loved one used to do daily. The new nurse will often get frustrated with the patient and may even fear for their well-being.
Student Learning Outcome
Nursing is an integral profession that involves directing patient care, implementing therapeutic techniques, and instructing patients to take care of themselves (Corry et al., 2019). Nurses are the primary care providers for all ages, from newborns to people with terminal illnesses. Nurses are critical in all aspects of healthcare and are valued resources for many facets, such as patient safety, emotional support, and good health habits in the community. With all the importance placed on nursing professions, there is a growing need to provide the proper education and training for nurses to improve patient outcomes.

References
Corry, M., Porter, S., & McKenna, H. (2019). The redundancy of positivism as a paradigm for nursing research. Nursing Philosophy, 20(1), e12230.
Pecanac, K., & King, B. (2019). Nurse–family communication during and after family meetings in the intensive care unit. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 51(2), 129-137.
Smith, K. (2020). Talking therapy: Knowledge and power in American psychiatric nursing. Rutgers University Press.

Order | Check Discount

Tags: Surrogate Role as Defined by Peplau