[A dialectic reflection on the psychotherapeutic efficacy of nursing interventions. 1. Nursing interventions and...

The following essay raises the question whether nursing interventions have any psychotherapeutic effects. The first part describes a framework for nursing interventions in terms of I. King's nursing theory, particularly the process of goal-achievement. The humanistic thoughts and views of Patterson, Zderad & Watson have also been taken into account; in order to examine the question of effectiveness of psychotherapeutic intervention the scientific studies of K. Grawe, R. Donati & F. Bernauer as well as those of V. Tschuschke & D. Czogalik are discussed. Particular attention has been paid to the so-called non-specific factors with regard to the effectiveness of interventions and shows how they might be applied to the initial question. The second part combines the non-specific factors related to the effectiveness of psychotherapy with the way in which nursing interventions work and a model relevant to the different levels of nursing interventions is put forward. From this synthesis it can be said that nursing interventions do possess psychotherapeutic effectiveness. The article concludes with the necessary consequences for training and continuing education in nursing management.