Perspectives on the hallucinatory process.
Hallucinations are common psychiatric symptoms and the hallucinating patient presents a number of nursing problems. Although psychiatric nurses have written fairly extensively about hallucinations as a clinical problem, little nursing research has tested commonly recommended nursing interventions. This paper presents a review of interdisciplinary research on hallucinations and synthesizes findings with clinical observations to suggest a number of areas needing greater stress in nursing practice and research. Aspects of a model proposed by Peplau (1963), Rector (1982), and Field (1985) are questioned. Improved assessments of hallucinating patients are recommended, with exploration of subtleties in the hallucinatory experience; and factors needing assessment are identified. Major emphasis is placed on the need to explore patient efforts at controlling hallucinations as a foundation for promoting patient self-monitoring and self-regulation of hallucinatory experience.
Williams
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D001346:Autosuggestion; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015399:Nursing Research; D012648:Self Care