INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
RNSG 2573
Health Care Concepts 3
Concept – INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Concept Definition
Factors that facilitate and/or impair effective social associations, connections, or affiliations
between two or more people. (Kansas)
Exemplars
Aging of Family Members
Disability of Family Member
Expanding Family (Birth, Adoption, Blended Family)
Child Neglect
Objectives
1. Explain the concept of Interpersonal Relationships (including definition, antecedents,
and attributes).
2. Analyze conditions which place a patient at risk for Interpersonal Relationship
imbalance.
3. Identify when Interpersonal Relationship imbalance (negative consequence) is
developing or has developed.
4. Discuss exemplars of common Interpersonal Relationship disorders.
5. Apply the nursing process (including collaborative interventions) for individuals
experiencing Interpersonal Relationship imbalance and to promote normal
Interpersonal Relationships.
Concept Analysis Diagram
Note: Diagram on separate page.
Explanation of Interpersonal Relationships Diagram
Interpersonal Relationships by definition are factors that facilitate and/or impair
effective social associations, connections, or affiliations between two or more people. The
antecedents for Interpersonal Relationships that must be in place for Interpersonal
Relationships to exist are comprised of: the ability to respect boundaries, the ability to
communicate both verbally and nonverbally, the ability to trust and have feelings of safety and
security. The attributes, which measure whether Interpersonal Relationships exists, include: the
ability to reciprocate the feelings and ideas of others, a history of healthy relationships,
longevity or lifetime rapport with others and repetitive positive interactions with two or more
people.
Sub-concepts are components of Interpersonal Relationships and include: professional,
personal, social and intimate relationships. Interrelated concepts (either affect interpersonal
relationships or interpersonal relationships affect them) include: communication, coping,
diversity, teamwork and collaboration and violence. Positive consequences of Interpersonal
1
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Relationships may include things such as: forming a social network, personal growth and
flexibility and developing security and trust. Negative consequences of mal-adaptive
Interpersonal Relationships include things such as: co-dependence, mistrust, insecurity, inability
to work with others, isolation and becoming rigid and inflexible.
Nursing care is implemented either proactively or in response to negative consequences
and is focused on improving the antecedents. If the nursing care is successful the result will be
the measurement of optimal attributes which will indicate Interpersonal Relationships exists.
Assignments
Prior to class:
1. Review the following from previous course(s)
 From general Psychology Interpersonal Relationships and Therapeutic and Nontherapeutic Communication Techniques
2. Prior to class
 Review the Reading/Viewings section below
3. Review the following Nursing Diagnoses
 Impaired social interaction
 Decisional conflict
 Ineffective role performance
 Powerlessness
 Low self-esteem (chronic; situational)
 Ineffective coping
4. Readings/Viewing
References: to be assigned by instructor
Content Outline
Concept: Interpersonal Relationships
1.
2.
3.
4.
Interpersonal Relationships Defined
Sub-concepts/components of Interpersonal Relationships. (see template below)
Antecedents for Interpersonal Relationships. (see template below)
At Risk and risk factors related to Interpersonal Relationship Imbalance (see
template below)
a. Health continuum (best/worst)
b. Age continuum (young/old)
c. Environment
d. Personal – natural, biological, psychological, cultural, behavioral, social]
5. Assessment for balance/imbalance (including Diagnostic tests)
a. Personality Assessments (ie. Myers Briggs)
6. Nursing Diagnoses
b. Impaired social interaction
c. Decisional conflict
d. Ineffective role performance
2
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
e. Powerlessness
f. Low self-esteem (chronic; situational)
g. Ineffective coping
7. Outcomes/Nursing Care
8. Exemplars (demonstrate nursing process and interrelated concepts)
3
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Concept Analysis Diagram – INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Nursing Care
 Directed toward what contributes to a normal concept and is thereby related to all factors
involved in or with the concept. Not always needed to have a normal outcome.
Attributes
 Defining characteristics of the concept
 What must occur for the concept to exist
Antecedents
 What precedes the concept for it to exist
 Events or incidents that must happen before the concept
Consequences
 Untoward events or outcomes that occur due to malfunction within the concept
 Positive events or outcomes that occur due to proper functioning within the concept
Interrelated Concept
 Concepts which can affect change in the other
 Concepts which work together to ensure a normal process
 Concepts which if depleted or impaired can cause a negative consequence in the other
Sub- Concept
 Critical components of major concept
Attributes
Coping
Ability to Reciprocate the Feelings and
Ideas of Others
History of Healthy Relationships
Longevity (Lifetime Rapport)
Repetitive Positive Interactions with 2
or More People
Nursing Care
Communication
Diversity
Teamwork &
Collaboration
Interrelated
Concepts
Antecedents
Ability to Trust
Feelings of Safety/Security
Ability to Respect Boundaries
Ability to Communicate
(verbal/nonverbal)
Interpersonal
Relationships: Factors
that Facilitate and/or
Impair Effective Social
Associations,
Connections,
orAffiliations Between
Two or More People.
(Kansas)
Consequences
(Outcomes)
Co-dependence
Negative
(Unhealthy)
Sub Concepts
Professional
Personal
Positive
(Healthy)
Security/Trust
Social
Intimate
Mistrust
Insecurity
Rigid/Inflexible
Isolation
Social Network
Development/Flexibility
4
Inability to
Work with
Others