Self-Disclosure In Nursing

Based on Servellen (2009), "Self-disclosure is defined as instances of openly sharing personal information about oneself, including experiences, attitudes, and feelings. In essence, provider self-disclosure entails any self-revelation of a personal nature" (p. 150). Any term starting with the pronoun "I" can be classified as self-disclosure; using the "I" term can be used as a self-disclosure technique. In the health care field if the patient gives off that he or she is providing self-disclosure this can help with progress between the patient and provider. If the patient is able to have self-disclosure with the provider this will help increase the relationship while at the same time build trust. The patient should be able to express his or hers feelings for the provider to get a better understanding of how the patient feels. It is possible for information to be provided, that the patient may have a hard time sharing and discussing with others. At the same time there could be a disadvantage and this is when the provider crosses the line between personal and professional roles; which will then lead the provider to learn how to balance both roles. One disclosure type is meta-disclosure. This is a disclosure about other disclosures an example would be "I lied about not passing my math test because I wanted you to believe I was smart" this releases a previous statement that was not told before hand. Another disclosure is irresponsible as stated by Servellen (2009), "If a patient is describing, for example, his difficulty maintaining an erection, statements such as "Getting an erection has never been a problem for me" would be irresponsible" (p. 151). Overall, self-disclosures can be therapeutic for the patient, without different types …show more content…
(2009). Chapter 9. The Impact and Limitations of Self-Disclosure. In Communication skills for the health care professional: Concepts, practice, and evidence. (2nd. ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett