Ch. 8 Interventions in Groups Flashcards
Define group
A group is a collection of individuals whose association is founded on shared interests, values, norms, or purpose. Membership in a group is generally by chance (born into the group), by choice (voluntary affiliation), or by circumstance (the result of life-cycle events over which an individual may or may not have control).
Sampson and Marthas (1990) contend that groups may serve more than one function and usually serve different functions for different members of the group. They outlined the following eight functions that groups serve for their members:
- Socialization
- Support
- Task completion
- Camaraderie
- Information sharing
- Normative influence
- Empowerment
- Governance
Define socialization as a group function
The cultural group into which we are born begins the process of teaching social norms. This process continues throughout our lives as we interact with members of other groups with which we become affiliated.
Define support as a group function
One’s fellow group members are available in time of need. Individuals derive a feeling of security from group involvement.
Define task completion as a group function
Group members provide assistance in endeavors that are beyond the capacity of one individual alone or when results can be achieved more effectively as a team.
Define camaraderie as a group function
Members of a group provide the joy and pleasure that individuals seek from interactions with significant others.
Define information sharing as a group function
Learning takes place within groups. Knowledge is gained when individual members learn how others in the group have resolved situations similar to those with which they are currently struggling.
Define normative influence as a group function
This function relates to the ways in which groups enforce the established norms. As group members interact, they begin to influence each other regarding the expected norms for communication and behavior.
Define empowerment as a group function
Groups help to bring about improvement in existing conditions by providing support to individual members who seek to bring about change. Groups have power that individuals alone do not.
Define governance as a group function
An example of the governing function is that of rules being made by committees within a larger organization.
Describe a task group
The function is to accomplish a specific outcome or task.
The focus is on solving problems and making decisions to achieve this outcome.
Often a deadline is placed on completion of the task, and such importance is placed on a satisfactory outcome that conflict in the group may be smoothed over or ignored in order to focus on the priority at hand.
Describe a teaching group
Teaching groups exist to convey knowledge and information to a number of individuals.
Nurses can be involved in teaching groups of many varieties, such as medication education, childbirth education, and effective parenting classes.
These groups usually have a set time frame or a set number of meetings.
Members learn from each other as well as from the designated instructor.
The objective of teaching groups is verbalization or demonstration by the learner of the material presented by the end of the designated period.
Describe supportive/therapeutic groups
What is the focus?
Describe group process, group facilitators, and group content
The primary concern is to prevent possible future upsets by teaching the participants effective ways of dealing with emotional stress arising from situational or developmental crises.
The focus is on group relations, interactions among group members, and the consideration of a selected issue.
Those leading therapeutic groups must be knowledgeable in group process, the way in which group members interact with each other.
Interruptions, silences, judgments, glares, and scapegoating are examples of group processes.
Nurses who are acting as group leaders can guide the way in which members interact with one another to facilitate accomplishing the goals or tasks of the group.
Group leaders = group facilitators.
They must also have a thorough knowledge of group content, the topic or issue being discussed among the group, and the ability to present the topic in language that can be understood by all group members.
Describe group therapy
Leaders of group therapy generally have advanced degrees in psychology, social work, nursing, or medicine.
They often have additional training or experience under the supervision of an accomplished professional in conducting group psychotherapy based on various theoretical frameworks such as psychoanalytic, psychodynamic, interpersonal, and family dynamics.
Approaches based on these theories are used by the group therapy leaders to encourage improvement in the ability of group members to function on an interpersonal level.
Describe self-help groups
What is their purpose?
Who runs them?
What is the nurse’s role?
They allow clients to talk about their fears and relieve feelings of isolation while receiving comfort and advice from others undergoing similar experiences.
Serve to reduce the possibilities of further emotional distress leading to pathology and necessary treatment
These groups may or may not have a professional leader or consultant. They are run by the members, and leadership often rotates from member to member.
Nurses may become involved with self-help groups either voluntarily or because their advice or participation has been requested by the members.
The nurse may function as a referral agent, resource person, member of an advisory board, or leader of the group
Describe how seating influences group dynamics
The physical conditions for the group should be set up so that there is no barrier between the members. For example, a circle of chairs is better than chairs set around a table
Members should be encouraged to sit in different chairs at each meeting.
This openness and change creates a feeling of discomfort that encourages anxious and unsettled behaviors that can then be explored within the group.
