Inpatient Group Therapy in a Managed Health Care Environment: Application to Clinical Nursing Practice

Abstract

This article applies Gunderson's (1978) conceptual framework of the therapeutic milieu and Yalom's (1985) therapeutic factors in group therapy to the inpatient time-limited therapy group in the managed health care environment. Case examples demonstrate how Gunderson's therapeutic processes (containment, support, structure, involvement, validation) serve as a foundation to support Yalom's therapeutic factors. The combina tion of these two frameworks can serve as a model for a plan of care that promotes suc cessful inpatient group therapy sessions in the time constraints of managed care. Constructive inpatient group therapy can be the catalyst for patients to continue with treatment after discharge. (J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc [1998]. 4, 145-152)

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