Application of Middle-Range Theory to Problem

Application of Middle-Range Theory to Problem
Name
Institution
Application of Middle-Range Theory to Problem
Introduction
Nursing theories depict a body of knowledge that can be applied or used in nursing practice. The very first nursing theories came into the limelight in the 1800s at a time when the emphasis was focused on nursing education. These theories create a leeway to advance and define nursing care, direct nursing as a practice and offer a footing for clinical decision-making. Nursing theories fall into different categories such as grand theories that are used on a broad scale, the middle-range theories that are suitable for smaller subset of conditions and the nursing practice theories aimed at guiding the practice of nursing (Peterson & Bredow, 2009). This paper discusses the Theory of Interpersonal Relations, which is a middle-range theory and how it applies to the problem of nursing fatigue.
Nurse fatigue within the nursing practice is a significant problem that needs to be addressed. In most cases, nurses work long hours to compensate for nursing shortage within health care facilities. However, fatigue in nursing can also occur due to the monotony of working with patients’ day in and day out. This monotony and exhaustion pose negative effects to both the nurses, as well as the patients. This is because when nurses are weary or tired, there is a possibility of increased clinical errors during patient care. Nurses cannot conduct their duties properly when they emotionally drained because they are already discouraged. This ends up affecting the entire nursing practice and compromising the care that is provided to patients.
Peplau’s Theory of Interpersonal Relations is a middle-range theory that best explains how to solve the problem of nurse fatigue. According to Ramesh (2013), this theory describes the value of the partnership between the nurse and the patient. This ultimately assists nurses and caregivers to create therapeutic interventions within the clinical setting. The idea is to have a shared experience between the nurse and client to ensure cohesion that leads to proper patient care. When the nurse listens to the client, it is easier to understand the underlying problem, and nurse can easily confirm what the client says to ensure a peaceful agreement. This middle-range theory is appropriate to the problem of nursing fatigue because it shows how nurses can effectively relate with a patient to ensure a smooth patient care system (Ramesh, 2013). The idea is for the patient and client to feel connected rather than the patient passively receiving treatment while the nurse impassively follows orders dictated by the doctor.
Hildegard Peplau is credited with publishing the Theory of Interpersonal Relations in the year 1952. This theory falls under the middle-range classification theory. While working as the Director of Advanced Program in Psychiatric Nursing, she developed a nursing curriculum. This curriculum focused on nurse-patient interactions. Peplau scrutinized the way students and patients interacted while serving as a director at the Teachers’ College and used this personal experience to writer her book Interpersonal Relations in Nursing. By the year 1968, the interpe...