The nurse-patient relation- ship is a key concept in Peplau’s theory. If switching from a theo- retical to practical application is to be effective, the clinician must establish outcome measures that incorporate the unique needs of the patient (Peplau, 1992; Peterson & Bredlow, 2004). Outcome mea- sures guide the practitioner in the assessment of the patient’s indi- vidual needs, and outline the care required. They also provide a means for evaluating the progress of the instruction and related interventions. Peplau stresses that successful interven- tions only occur if the patient is valued and accepted by the nurse. Acceptance is attained by seeking active patient participation in the development of the goals for the interventions.
Suggested outcome measures for patients undergoing a urinary diversion might include:
• The patient participates in a bladder cancer/urinary diver- sion support group pre-opera- tively and postoperatively.
• The patient is able to engage in self-care activities to sup- port maintenance of the uri- nary diversion.
• The patient collaborates with the nurse to identify resources to help him/her cope with post-surgical consequences of urinary diversion (urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunc- tion, etc.).