Therapeutic use of self – This book covers the entire syllabus of “Psychiatric Nursing” prescribed by the Universities of Bangladesh- for Basic and diploma nursing students. We tried to accommodate the latest information and topics. This book is an examination-friendly setup according to the teachers’ lectures and examination questions.
At the end of the book previous university questions are given. We hope in touch with the book students’ knowledge will be upgraded and flourish. The unique way of presentation may make your reading of the book a pleasurable experience.
Therapeutic use of self
According to Mosby’s Medical Dictionary (2009), The term therapeutic use of self is the thoughtful and deliberate use of one’s personality, opinions, and judgments as a component of the therapeutic process. The term originates from philosophy and the theories of self.
Importance of therapeutic use of self:
- It helps to encapsulate the therapist’s role in working consciously with the interpersonal side of the therapeutic relationship
- It helps to facilitate an optimal experience and outcome for the client.
- The nurse is aware of his or her own thoughts, feelings and actions by this.
- Helps in maintaining their dignity and privacy.
- Helps in avoiding taking control or choice away.
- Therapeutic use of self helps in Working to maintain comfort
- Show sincere concern for their well-being and appreciation for their company To cure, improve, mitigate, treat and/or prevent disease and/or other conditions.
- Helps in recognizing their emotions, temperaments, and potentials, ultimately assisting them in understanding the strengths and limitations of their patients and helping
- patients recognize their strengths.
Empathy
Emotional knowing of another person”. It is a feeling what it must be like to be that person; empathy involves active listening with carefulness; being in time with what clients are seeing; having insight into the meaning of their thoughts, feelings and behaviours.
Or
Empathy is the ability to emotionally understand what other people feel, see things from their point of view, and imagine yourself in their place. Essentially, it is putting yourself in someone else’s position and feeling what they must be feeling.
Types of empathy:
There are mainly 3 types of empathy. These are given below-
1. Cognitive: Simply knowing how the other person feels and what they might be thinking Sometimes called perspective-taking.
2. Emotional: When you feel physically along with the other person, as though their emotions were contagious.
3. Compassionate: With this kind of empathy, we not only understand a person’s predicament and feel with them, but are spontaneously moved to help, if needed.
Components of empathy:
Empathy is a multidimensional construct and requires the ability to perceive, understand, and feel the emotional states of others. According to most model’s empathy consists of at least three core components:
1. The ability to recognize emotions in oneself and others via different communicative cues such as facial expressions, speech, or behavior;
2. A cognitive component, also referred to as perspective taking or theory of mind, describing the competency to take over the perspective of another person, though maintaining the essential distinction between self and other;
3. An affective component, that is, sharing of emotional states with others or the ability to experience similar emotions as others.
Importance of empathy in psychiatric nursing:
1. Builds trust and respect.
2. Reduces tensions.
3. Creates a safe environment that is conducive to collaborative problem solving.
4. Tells Clients, “You are important” and “I am not judging you”
5. Gains the Clients, co-workers cooperation.
6. Reduces stress and tension.
7. Builds teamwork.
8. Elicits openness
9. Empathy allows nurses to build social connections with others. By understanding what people are thinking and feeling, people are able to respond appropriately in any situation.
10. Empathizing with others helps learn to regulate own emotions.
11. Empathy promotes helping behaviors.
Read more: