3.2 Interventions in Groups Flashcards
Group Work
- Provides nurses the ability to reach out to more people, and also promotes individuals to help each other.
- A group consists of individuals with shared commonalities (interests, values, norms, purpose)
Task Groups
- Can be lead by nurses to create policies, describe procedures, and plan patient care.
Therapeutic Groups
- Can be lead by nurses as well
Examples
- Client education groups
- Support groups
- Assertiveness training
Function of Groups
Socialization - The cultural group that we are born into is the beginning of our teaching of social norms.
Support - Members are there for each other during a time of need. People find security in group involvement.
Task Completion - Groups work together when 1 person alone cannot complete a task, or a group can achieve the task more effectively.
Camaraderie - Groups provide joy that individuals need from interactions with significant others.
Information Sharing - Knowledge is gained when members of the group learn from others how they have resolved similar issues in which they are struggling from
Normative Influence - As groups interact they influence each other about expected norms of communication and behavior
Empowerment - Groups help bring improvement by providing support to individuals seeking change.
Governance - Rules are made in groups
Group Therapy
- Psychosocial treatment
- Groups meet with therapist to share, gain personal insight, and improve interpersonal coping strategies.
Therapeutic Groups
- Does not focus on psychotherapy
- Focus is group relations, interactions amongst group members, consideration of selected issues.
Types of Therapeutic Groups
Task Groups - Groups formed to accomplish a certain task
Teaching Groups - Focus is to educate a number of individuals
Supportive/Therapeutic Groups - Primary concern to prevent future upsets by teaching effective coping strategies for emotional stress due to stress or crisis
Self-Help Groups - Run by members of the group. Group of individuals with similar problems to reduce emotional stress.
Physical Conditions and Group Dynamics
Seating
- Set up so there is no barriers between members (such as a table in between chairs)
- Members are encouraged to sit in different chairs each meeting
- Openness and change promotes discomfort/anxiety that can be explored within the group.
Group Size
- The larger the group, the less time available devoted to each member.
- Larger groups, aggressive individuals more likely to be heard than quieter members
- 7-8 members is optimal
Membership conditions
- Open ended groups where people come and go throughout the meeting. Continuous movement of members encourages unsettling behaviors that can foster exploration of feelings.
- Close-ended groups have fixed timeframes where everyone comes and goes at the same time. This is often composed of people with common issues or problems they want to address.
Therapeutic Effects of a Group
Hope
- Individuals observe progress of others and gain hope
Universality
- Individuals realize they are not alone with the problems they are experiencing
Imparting of Information
- Groups and leaders share knowledge which each other
Altruism
- Individuals provide support to each other to create positive self image and promote growth
Corrective recapitulation of primary family group
- Group members can re-experience early family conflicts that remain unresolved
Development of socializing techniques
- Through interaction and feedback, individuals correct maladaptive social behaviors
Imitative behavior
- Group members who have mastered an area serve as role models for others
Interpersonal Training
- Groups offer various opportunities to interact with other people
Group cohesiveness
- Members develop a sense of belonging
Catharsis
- Within a group, members can express both positive and negative feelings
Existential Factors
- Groups can assist individuals to take direction of their own life and to accept responsibility for the quality of their existence.
PHASES OF GROUP DEVELOPMENT
Phase 1 - Initial/Orientation Phase
- Leaders and members work to establish rules for the group
- Leaders promote trust and ensure rules do not interfere with goal attainment
- Members are superficial and overly polite (trust has not been established yet)
Phase 2 - Middle/Working Phase
- Productive work towards goal attainment
- Leader role diminishes and becomes a facilitator
- Trust is established (cohesiveness exists aka sense of belonging)
- Conflict is managed by group members
Phase 3 - Final/Termination Phase
- Sense of loss and grief may be experienced by group members
- Leaders encourage expression of feelings of loss and reminisce accomplishments of group
- Feelings of abandonment may be triggered or grief by previous losses.
