HUMAN TO HUMAN RELATIONSHIP MODEL

Joyce Travelbee

“A nurse does not only seek to alleviate physical pain or render physical care – she
ministers to the whole person. The existence of the suffering whether physical, mental or
spiritual is the proper concern of the nurse”, said by Joyce Travelbee. She said that we need to
develop rapport with our clients in order to assists the individual to prevent or cope with
experience or illness and suffering, and if necessary to find meaning in these experiences. She
says that client and nurse are both humans so they should act like one. They can interact
normally with each other. They can share their own life experiences and tell their problems. In
this way, the client will be able to build trust and rapport with the nurse. The nurse should let
the client know how valuable they are.

Joyce Travelbee defined human conditions and life experiences encountered by all men
as sufferings, hope, pain and illness. She defined illness as being unhealthy, but rather explored
the human experience of illness. She said that suffering is a feeling of displeasure which ranges
from simple transitory mental, physical or spiritual discomfort to extreme anguish and to those
phases beyond anguish—the malignant phase of dispairful “not caring” and apathetic
indifference. She expressed that pain is not observable. It is a unique experience. Pain is a
lonely experience that is difficult to communicate fully to another individual. In order to help in
healing these human conditions, there is nursing. She defines nursing as an interpersonal
process whereby the professional nurse practitioner assists an individual, family or community
to prevent or cope with experience or illness and suffering, and if necessary to find meaning in
these experiences. The nurse inspires the patient to live.

The human to human relationship model explains that there are phases in establishing
rapport with our clients. First is the original encounter where we give our first impression to our
clients. We should be warm and kind. Second is the emerging identities phase where the nurse
and patient perceive each other’s uniqueness. It is where the relationship begins. Then next is
the empathy stage where they share each other’s experience. Sympathy is after empathy where
the nurse wants to lessen the clients suffering. It is the therapeutic use of self. After all of that,
the nurse is able to build rapport with their clients and they have a relation as human being to
human being. A nurse is able to establish rapport because she possesses the necessary
knowledge and skills required to assist ill persons and because she is able to perceive, respond
to and appreciate the uniqueness of the ill human being.

I have read an article about a client. She has cancer. The doctor said that she has just
six months to live. She became depressed because she thinks that she did accomplish
something in her life. She is single, rich, and has not been a lawyer yet. She wants to have a
family of her own, a stable job and a home. She often has her chemotheraphy which gets
painful as each day passes. Her hairs fall. She pities herself because she thinks she has no
value. After every chemotherapy, the nurse would ask her if she’s feeling good. She treats her
as if she is not dying. The nurse treats her as if she is healthy. She tells her problems to her
nurse and the nurse would tell her life experiences. She becomes inspired. Her remaining days
are coming to an end. The nurse would still treat her as if she is not dying. The day came, tshe
died. In her last will and testament, she thanked the nurse for inspiring her and giving a
meaning in her life.

I really like Joyce Travelbee’s Human to Human Relationship model. It treats the nurses
as human beings, fragile and capable of crying. Nurses have their emotions and do not only
think of their technical skills. They can be a friend to the patient. They can be a reason to live.
They give meanings to client’s life. They let them know how valuable they are. I am so excited
in becoming a nurse even though I haven’t had my capping yet. I would like to apply this
theory to my patient especially to those with terminal diseases. I would like to be an inspiration,
a reason to live. I would like to know their life experiences and relate to their problems. I would
like to be by their side whenever they need me. I would like to help them accomplish their tasks
until God take them. I would like to know how it feels to be appreciated by the patient. We had
our hospital duty and I tried to follow the phases that this theory suggests. I think I was not
able to accomplish my goal. But it is okay for me, I have plenty of time to practice. I hope that
I can pass all the hardships that student nurses encounter and I would be a professional nurse,
someday.
 CENTRO ESCOLAR UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF NURSING
MAKATI

In partial fulfilllment of the requirements in Theoretical Foundations for Nursing

“Human to Human Relationship Model”

Joyce Travelbee

Submitted by:
Monaliza A. Amigable
BSN2A

Submitted to:
Mrs. Marieta Lapuebla
Mr. Marlon Bernardo
PROFESSORS

September 22, 2009