Summary of Article and Strengths/Weaknesses
The article by Trygstand, Buccheri, Buffum, Ju, and Dowling (2015) presented an overview of a new tool called the Auditory Hallucinations Interview guide, which is a relatively short, 32-item tool that can help nurses working in a psychiatric department. The Auditory Hallucinations Interview guide was designed to help nurses assess both past and current auditory hallucinations so that individually-tailored care can be provided. The researchers note that this tool was initially developed for research purposes, but it has also been found to be helpful in inpatient and outpatient treatment contexts. The interview was designed so that the information is gained in a structured manner; however, there is also a focus on unconditional acceptance and caring to be provided by the nurse administering the interview. The interview guide itself is relatively straight-forward. It asks questions in a non-judgmental manner. For instance, one question states that “For many people, the experience of hearing voices is distressing –is that true for you?” (Trygstand et al., 2015, p. 23). It is clear that one strength of the article, and of the interview tool, is in its concise development and open, non-judgmental acceptance of the person who is experiencing auditory hallucinations. A weakness of this article is in the lack of experimental design. Namely, the authors presented data on the interview tool from a small sample of 62 participants who used the Auditory Hallucinations Interview. This research was published in an earlier article of the authors’. In other words, the authors presented information about this interview tool, but they did not demonstrate its effectiveness in the present study. Future research would do well to compare the information gained from this structured interview compared to a standard interview administered by a nurse who typically works in a psychiatric care setting with patients who have auditory hallucinations.
Key Concepts which Correlate to Theory
Trygstand and colleagues (2015 discussed how their interview was based in theory. Specifically, they note that Peplau’s Theory of Interpersonal Relations, which states that nurses must make an effort to display their genuine interest in learning the story behind the voices, was an important element in interview development. Moreover, Symptom Management Theory is discussed, and the purpose of this theory is to provide clinicians with a means of assessing symptoms; it explores the interaction of symptom experience, symptom management strategies, and symptom status outcomes. In terms of things we have discussed in class, this article highlights the importance of building a trusting and genuine relationship with patients as this can facilitate information acquisition which can be helpful for diagnostics and treatment planning.
Implications for Nursing
This interview tool can be used by nurses who are working in psychiatric settings, and it can also be used by nurses who encounter individuals who are experiencing auditory hallucination. This tool appears easy to use, and it can be helpful in gaining necessary information about the nature and duration of the auditory hallucinations. The structured nature of the clinical interview suggests that an ample amount of relevant information can be gained in a short amount of time, and this can be crucial for busy nurses. It is clear to see how this tool can be used in intervention and treatment planning because it checks for the patient’s safety, days in which the voices are the worst, and instances in which the voices are not as problematic or noticeable. It also checks for patient understanding of the relationship between the auditory hallucinations and the medications that they may or may not be taking. Importantly, this tool specifically asks about command hallucinations, which could be particularly dangerous if the patient were to act on these voices.
- Trygstad, L.N., Buccheri, R.K., Buffum, M.D., Ju, D., & Dowling, G.A. (2015). The Auditory Hallucinations Intervention Guide: Promoting recovery with an interactive assessment tool. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, 53(1), 20-31.
