A Model to Assist Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners to Facilitate Self-Empowerment of Women Living With BPD

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterised by a pervasive instability in emotions, interpersonal relationships and identity as well as a severe and harmful dysregulated behaviour. A model was developed to assist psychiatric nurse practitioners to facilitate self-empowerment of women living with borderline personality disorder. The purpose of the model was to serve as a frame of reference for psychiatric nurse practitioners to facilitate self-empowerment of women living with borderline personality disorder. The assumptions of the model were based on the Theory of Health Promotion in Nursing and Constructivist Theory.

The facilitation of self-empowerment by the psychiatric nurse practitioner is assisting the progress of a woman living with borderline personality disorder through a dynamic, interactive process by creating a positive environment and mobilising resources in order to promote mental health in women living with borderline personality disorder. Self-empowerment is achieved when the women living with borderline personality disorder knows what is best for her and takes charge of her own life and taking an active role in creating the future of her own dreams feeling secure, connected and develops a sense of meaning and coherence.

The model was implemented in a specific context which was a psychotherapy unit. The psychiatric nurse practitioner walks along the path with the woman living with borderline personality disorder. Psychiatric nurse practitioners working in a psychotherapy unit were workshopped on how to implement the model.  The researcher provided support and supervision to the psychiatric nurse practitioners throughout the implementation phase of the study.

The model has three phases namely relationship phase, working phase and termination phase. In the relationship phase, a positive environment was created and resources were mobilised. The resource identified is psychotherapy.  In the working phase, the psychiatric nurse practitioner ensured that the woman living with borderline personality disorder knows what is best for herself, takes charge of own life, takes an active role in creating the future of her own dreams, feels secure and  connected and develops a sense of meaning and coherence.  In the termination phase the psychiatric nurse practitioner ensured that the woman living with borderline personality disorder is self-empowered. A phenomenological approach was used where in-depth interviews were conducted to evaluate the implementation of the model. The model was evaluated after six months by asking the psychiatric nurse practitioners the central question “How was it for you to implement the model?”