Florence Nightingale

Florence Nightingale

Florence Nightingale, the founder of the nursing profession, laid down four main concepts that have defined the profession to-date. These concepts: environment, person, health, and nursing are the basis upon which all successive nursing models and theories have been built upon. One such theory that has shaped the profession is Joyce Travelbee’s human-to-human relationship model. This model focuses on the interpersonal nursing aspects, with specific emphasis being on mental health (Moreira de Freitas et al., 2018). According to Travelbee, the ultimate nursing purpose, as foreseen by Nightingale, is achievable through human-to-human relationships.

Joyce Travelbee’s model, which was primarily developed for psychiatric patients, could also be applicable in general clinical cases involving patient-nurse interactions such as in Juan Duran’s case study. The selection of this theory is due to the theory’s emphasis on the need for excellent and discrete interpersonal relationships between patients and nurses, whose aim is ensuring a harmonious therapeutic process. The theory states that it is the nurse’s role to guide the patient into reflecting on their experiences, with the hope of redefining their lives as well as assigning a new meaning to their ailments. The key concepts in this theory include human relations or associations, human being as an individual, suffering, communication, meaning, and self-therapy (Moreira de Freitas et al., 2018). These concepts could be customized to fit within any medical context, therefore enabling the application of the theory in nurse-patient assessments as in Jenny to Duran’s case.

With the comprehension of the human-to-human relationship model, Jenny O’Connell is likely to have a more comprehensive data and assessment of Mr. Duran. Jenny could, therefore, apply the theory’s concepts to obtain additional information useful in guiding the patient’s healthcare. The human-to-human model outlines the impact of good rapport in patient assessment in nursing care (Moreira de Freitas et al., 2018). Having developed a good rapport, Jenny could inquire about Mr. Duran’s family’s medical history. Jenny may want to know if there may be any of Duran’s family members that may have been diagnosed with diabetes in the past. She may also want to know whether Duran has any close relations with individuals that may have succumbed to the disease. In so doing, Jenny may be able to understand the reason behind the fears and threats the disease might have posed on Duran to the point of anxiety and tension.

To initiate an effective plan of care on Mr. Duran, Jenny would have to develop a five-step relationship process, namely: the first encounter, the emergence of identity, empathy, sympathy, and harmony, respectively. The first encounter is the initial step. This first step involves the breaking of any possible or existing stereotypes that might hinder care (Shelton, 2016). This phase appears to have occurred in the data collection or assessment session, where the two parties initially interacted with ease as Mr. Duran provided a wealth of information.

The Second step, the emergence of identities, will involve both Jenny and Mr. Duran expressing their values, identity, and meaning. It is at this stage that unique relationship bonds are created. It is in the identity emergence phase that Mr. Duran will be able to express the meaning of the Diabetes illness according to him, and the impact of the disease on his physical, social, and psychic life. Statements and expressions signifying sadness, depression, fear, and inability to do certain normal things that he formerly did with great ease are most likely to surface at this stage (Moreira de Freitas et al., 2018).

The third step in developing care for Mr. Duran is empathy. Empathy will require Jenny to directly acquit herself with Mr. Duran’s situation by trying to fit in his shoes. If there are any, Jenny can share any personal diabetic, psycho, social, and spiritual experiences similar to Mr. Duran’s. The fourth phase, the sympathy phase, requires the nurse to play the role of a support system that will help Mr. Duran boldly face the problems associated with the disease, the disease itself, and the prescribed or recommended treatment. Finally, the harmony phase will involve a review and analysis of their entire process as the two parties jointly set objectives to ensure that the disease is successfully treated. Established commitments are reviewed, and the patient is set to face the condition with the great determination of success and not depression and anxiety as initially depicted (Moreira de Freitas et al., 2018).

However, if Dorothy Johnson’s Behavioral System Model is used, Jenny would assess and plan for Duran’s care quite differently. This model requires that efficiency and effectivity be fostered to prevent patients from illnesses. This approach will require Jenny to view Mr. Duran as a behavioral system which is subdivided into other seven subsystems namely: dependency, affiliative, sexual, ingestive, aggressive, eliminative, and achievement. According to Dorothy’s model, a balance in the behavioral subsystems must be maintained, whose failure would lead to equilibrium (Ghanbari & Pouy, 2018). Therefore, it would be Jenny’s role to analyze the subsystems, the subsystems’ functional requirements, and equilibrium in the assessment and care planning for her patient. The application of this model would, therefore, direct Jenny to objectively develop activities aimed at assessing the patient’s behaviors to ascertain the presence or likelihood of any disequilibrium. Jenny will, therefore, assess Mr. Duran as she records and classifies the observed phenomena, which would equip her with insight into the nature of the medical situation under treatment.