Introduction
Mental health professionals use the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression diagnosis in the primary care setting. However, the efficacy of PHQ-9 can be further enhanced via Peplau’s theory of nurse-patient relationships. For instance, nurses can help expand the patient’s impression related to their condition at the orientation stage or facilitate the patient’s identification with nursing staff (Peplau, 1991). As a result, the patient becomes more inclined to collaborate with nursing staff, which positively contributes to the reliability of PHQ-9 results.
The Contribution of Peplau’s Theory to Increase in Patient Quality of Life (QoL)
Due to its focus on patient needs, Peplau’s theory contributes to the improvement of the patient QoL in multiple ways. Firstly, Peplau’s theory stresses the importance of satisfying the basic patient needs so more mature ones could emerge. Secondly, nurses manage the patients’ frustration by helping the patients to set achievable goals throughout the treatment process. Lastly, nurses mitigate problems and conflicts that patients may face in care settings (Peplau, 1991). Through these means, Peplau’s theory makes patients’ perception of life more comfortable and satisfying.
Insight Into Depression Symptoms and Diagnosis
Peplau’s theory pays significant attention to unexplained discomfort, which offers valuable insight into depression symptoms and diagnosis. In particular, Peplau (1991) mentions the feeling of guilt — an individual’s self-perceived inadequacy in a new situation. Guilt is manifested in the cues to the need for self-punishment. Such cues may include requests to be hurt and refusal to work toward comfort. According to Peplau (1991), these cues are noticeable in many actions of patients with depression cases. Another marker of depression is extreme introjection — the incorporation of the attitudes and feelings that others have shown during the individual’s formative years (Peplau, 1991). Overall, these cues serve as a warning sign that a patient might be developing a depressive disorder.
Reference
Peplau, H.E (1991). Interpersonal relations in nursing: A conceptual frame of reference for psychodynamic nursing. Springer.