Incorporating simple reminiscence techniques into acute care nursing practice

Under normal circumstances, individuals perceive the world around them in terms of overlapping--interacting past, present, and future time orientations. When individuals experience overwhelming stress, normal coping skills cease to be effective and this time orientation schema has a tendency to disorganize into its constituent spheres. The overlap and interaction of the spheres disappears. Individuals focus exclusively on the present sphere and lose the abilities to use coping skills which were successful in the past and to make reasonable projections about the future. Simple Reminiscence, an activity in which individuals look back at past experiences which they perceive as positive and meaningful, is one nursing intervention that RNs can use to help the client reclaim an effective past, present, future time orientation. Questioning the client about past experiences, effectively listening to what the client has to say, and using effectual time management skills are some techniques which RNs can use to incorporate Simple Reminiscence interventions into acute care nursing practice. These interventions will encourage the client to perceive stressful situations in terms of overlapping past, present, and future time spheres and consequently cope more effectively with stress.