Which nurse theorist is associated with the therapeutic nurse-patient relationship?

• A. Hildegard Peplau
• B. Dorothea Dix
• C. Virginia Henderson
• D. Patricia Benner

Answer: (A)

The therapeutic nurse-patient relationship is the central idea behind Hildegard Peplau’s theory, which makes her the best answer. Peplau viewed nursing as an interpersonal process where the relationship between nurse and patient is the vehicle for growth, healing, and health promotion. She outlined four phases—orientation, identification, exploitation, and resolution—through which the nurse and patient work together to meet health goals, emphasizing the dynamic interaction rather than just performing tasks. This relational focus differentiates her work from other theorists who emphasized broader roles or specific needs without centering the nurse-patient relationship as the primary mechanism of care. For context, Dorothea Dix is renowned for mental health reform and nursing administration, not for a theory about therapeutic relationships; Virginia Henderson described basic human needs and how nurses assist patients to regain independence; Patricia Benner proposed a novice-to-expert progression in clinical practice. So, the nurse theorist most closely associated with the therapeutic nurse-patient relationship is Hildegard Peplau.