NRS 429 Topic 2 Family Health Assessment Part I GCU

NRS 429 Topic 2 Family Health Assessment Part I GCU

NRS 429 Topic 2 Family Health Assessment Part I GCU

Assessment is usually the first step in the nursing process when developing care plans for an individual patient or a family. Family health assessment involves collecting information about a family’s disease prevention and health promotion practices (Jazieh et al., 2018). A family influences an individual’s health by health behavior, direct biological and psycho-physiological means. Family assessment is the initial step in establishing the need for additional interventions and the particular aspects of family life that need to be addressed (Jazieh et al., 2018). In this assignment, I developed a questionnaire using Gordon’s health patterns and interviewed a family. This paper seeks to analyze the family’s assessment findings, including the family structure, health behaviors, strengths, and health problems, and use the family systems theory to influence changes in the family.

Family Structure

            I interviewed family X, a blended family of six members. The members include the father, mother, three daughters, and one son. The father is 58-year-old, the mother is 56 years, 1st born is 34, 2^nd born is 32, 3^rd born is 28, and 4^th born is 16 years. Mr. and Mrs. X have been married for 24 years. Since it is a blended family, the 1^st born and 3rd born daughter belong to Mrs. X, the 2^nd born daughter belongs to Mr. X, and the 4^th born son was born from their union. The family is multiracial; Mr. X is an African American, Mrs. X, and the 3^rd born are Whites, and the 1^st, 2^nd, and 4^th born children are multiracial. The family belongs to the upper-middle socioeconomic class with an average annual household income of $250,000. Mr. X is a managing director of an insurance firm, while Mrs. X is a financial coach having an established consultancy firm. The 1^st born is an attorney, 2^nd born is an architect, 3^rd born is her final year in law school, and the 4^th born is in his final high school year. The family lives in Forest Hills, Queens, in New York.  All the family members observe the Catholic faith and practices. 

Health Behaviors of the Family

            The family generally has acceptable health behaviors based on the members’ lifestyle and health promotion practices.  The family reported adopting a culture of taking freshly-prepared healthy home meals. Their meals are composed of high proteins, fruits and vegetables, and low carbohydrates. The diet patterns were informed by their awareness of chronic lifestyle illnesses and have helped to maintain a healthy weight (Conner & Norman, 2017). In addition, they reported having adequate water intake and healthy snacks between meals.

The family also has healthy sleeping patterns. Mrs. X reported that she initiated the sleeping patterns in the children since their childhood by limiting screen time. Another health behavior is attending annual well-exams. The family members have made it a habit to attend the exams where they are assessed for underlying problems and screened for chronic illnesses (Conner & Norman, 2017). The family generally has a good health status since no member has a chronic illness or is currently having an infectious disease.

Functional Health Pattern Strengths

Strengths were identified in the functional health patterns of Nutrition and Sleep-rest patterns. The family has adopted healthy dietary patterns characterized by balanced meals with adequate fruits and vegetable servings and low caloric intake. Besides, the family had no diet restrictions or difficulties in eating, digestion, or absorption of food. The family also avoids junk fast foods since they have high fat and sodium content and low-nutritional value (Conner & Norman, 2017). The family reported having adequate sleeping hours of 7-10 hours per day in the sleep-rest pattern. They also had adequate rest-relaxation periods and reported feeling rested and ready for daily activities after waking up. No member reported having difficulties initiating or maintaining sleep, sleeps interruptions, early awakening, or using sleeping aids.

Identified Health Problems/Barriers to Health

Health problems and barriers were identified in the patterns of Values-Health Perception, Activity-Exercise, and Role-Relationship. In the Values-Health perception pattern, some family members reported engaging in unhealthy habits such as tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and marijuana use, which puts them at risk of chronic illnesses (Jia et al., 2017).  In the Activity-Exercise pattern, most members had ineffective exercise patterns and reported rarely engaging in physical exercises. Besides, those who engaged in physical exercises did not reach the recommended minimum of 150 minutes of aerobic activity. The inadequate physical exercises put them at risk of chronic illnesses (Jia et al., 2017). The role-relationship pattern had major problems characterized by frequent strains and dysfunctional relationships in the family contributed by being in a blended family.  Mr. and Mrs. X reported having difficulties in handling family problems. The children had frequent conflicts related to their roles in the family, and the parents experienced problems handling them. Besides, some of the children reported feeling isolated.     

Application of the Family Systems Theory

The Family Systems theory describes a family as an interrelated whole that adapts to changes brought by a health illness of a family member. The theory helps providers understand that families change regularly in response to environmental stress and strains. The complexity of family systems advances over time, and families must improve their capacity to change or adapt (Calatrava et al., 2021). The family systems theory can be applied to promote healthy lifestyle practices in family X. A family member can be encouraged to adopt a healthier lifestyle, which will, in turn, inspire others to do the same (Pilato & Davison, 2021). Besides, the theory can help the family address the stress they undergo that causes family chaos to promote functional family patterns.

NRS 429 Topic 2 Family Health Assessment Part I GCU Conclusion

The primary purpose of a family assessment is to assess and evaluate the family members’ functioning to understand their problems. The interviewed family demonstrated healthy behaviors such as healthy diet and sleep patterns and engaging in health promotion activities. However, health problems and barriers were identified in the Values-Health Perception, Activity-Exercise, and Role-Relationship patterns.

NRS 429 Topic 2 Family Health Assessment Part I GCU References

Calatrava, M., Martins, M. V., Schweer-Collins, M., Duch-Ceballos, C., & Rodríguez-González, M. (2021). Differentiation of self: A scoping review of Bowen Family Systems Theory’s core construct. Clinical psychology review, 102101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2021.102101

Conner, M., & Norman, P. (2017). Health behavior: Current issues and challenges. Psychology & Health, 32(8), 895-906. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2017.1336240

Jazieh, A. R., Volker, S., & Taher, S. (2018). Involving the family in patient care: A culturally tailored communication model. Global Journal on Quality and Safety in Healthcare, 1(2), 33-37. https://doi.org/10.4103/JQSH.JQSH_3_18

Jia, Y., Gao, J., Dai, J., Zheng, P., & Fu, H. (2017). Associations between health culture, health behaviors, and health-related outcomes: a cross-sectional study. PloS one, 12(7), e0178644.  https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0178644

Pilato, K. A., & Davison, C. M. (2021). Family as a health promotion setting: A scoping review of conceptual models of the health-promoting family. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0249707

Topic 2 DQ 1

A family is an integrated and functional unit of society and comprises people connected by bonds of blood, marriage, or adoption. It forms an emotional connection and serves as an economic unit of society. Besides, it is a key structure in most societies. The traditional definition of a family comprises a husband, wife, and children (Johnston et al., 2020). However, there has been a deviation from this model to single-parent households and homosexual couples without children. Thus, the definition of family is currently based on terms of how members relate to one another instead of a strict pattern of status roles (Johnston et al., 2020). The modern family structures include nuclear, binuclear, nuclear dyad, single parent, extended, blended, cohabitation, commune, and homosexual.

           People globally are, to some extent, divided when it comes to determining what does and what does not make up a family based on the modern family structures. Thus, nurses and other healthcare providers must acknowledge these modern family structures. In light of this, providers should conduct a family assessment to identify their patients’ type of family structures to guide appropriate interventions. It is important to acknowledge nontraditional family structures to ensure that patients do not feel discriminated against based on their family structures. Silva Correa Junior et al. (2019) explain that understanding different organizational and restructuring structures for modern family units enables providers to identify specificities. They can also identify different broader family concepts and health care needs.

The Family Systems Theory can be used to improve our insight into the interactions of the modern family. It explains that people are better understood when they are part of a family unit than single individuals. The theory asserts that features of family systems seek to maintain stability, although the elements may be adaptive or maladaptive (Calatrava etal., 2021). Besides, the theory enables providers to understand that the complexity of family systems evolves, and families improve their ability to change or adapt. Therefore, families change often in response to stress and strains. Furthermore, the Family Systems Theory can be used to understand that a person’s thoughts, feelings, and actions are, to some degree, affected by the family’s emotional state. 

NRS 429 Topic 2 Family Health Assessment Part I GCU References

Calatrava, M., Martins, M. V., Schweer-Collins, M., Duch-Ceballos, C., & Rodríguez-González, M. (2021). Differentiation of self: A scoping review of Bowen Family Systems Theory’s core construct. Clinical psychology review, 102101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2021.102101

Johnston, C. A., Cavanagh, S. E., & Crosnoe, R. (2020). Family structure patterns from childhood through adolescence and the timing of cohabitation among diverse groups of young adult women and men. Developmental psychology, 56(1), 165–179. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000842 Silva Correa Junior, A. J., Flexa Souza, T. C., Martins de Sousa, Y., Souza Rodrigues, A. R., Soares de Farias, D. L., Nunes Carvalho, J., & Hisako Takase Gonçalve, L. (2019). Assessment of non-traditional family units and implications for nursing care. Revista Eletronica de Enfermagem, 21. https://doi.org/10.5216/ree.v21.54933

Family is an inclusive and constantly evolving social entity marked by the presence of love, care, and support among individuals who share emotional ties and mutual obligations. It goes beyond conventional paradigms, embracing a diverse array of structures and relationships that emerge from different life circumstances, personal choices, and legal acknowledgments. Family can include, but is not limited to, nuclear families which consist of parents and their children, extended families, single-parent families, blended families, same-sex parent families, adoptive families, foster families, cohabiting partners and their children, multigenerational households, and chosen families. In the words of Smith (2022), what sets a family apart is the existence of authentic emotional connections and a dedicated commitment to fostering and upholding the welfare of its members, regardless of biological or legal connections.

Additionally, recognizing non-traditional family structures is of paramount importance due to various factors such as inclusivity, acceptance, representation, visibility, well-being, and support. By acknowledging and embracing diverse family arrangements, society cultivates an inclusive environment that appreciates the richness of different familial experiences, while simultaneously challenging stereotypes and stigmas associated with non-conventional families. This recognition also ensures that appropriate resources and support systems are available to address the unique needs and challenges faced by these families (Williams, 2021). In doing so, we can foster a society that values and respects the diverse tapestry of family structures, promoting a sense of belonging and empowerment for all individuals within these families.

Furthermore, examining the intricate interconnections, flexibility, roles, boundaries, and communication within contemporary families, whether adhering to traditional or non-traditional structures, is the focus of family systems theory, a psychological framework. This approach enables researchers, therapists, and individuals to gain insight into the dynamics at play. With this understanding, they can offer well-informed support, interventions, and policies that address the varied requirements of modern families. As Smith and Johnson (2022) eloquently said, the primary objective is to cultivate improved dynamics and connections within these family systems, aiming for healthier interactions and relationships. Thus, by recognizing the significance of family systems theory, we can enhance our ability to promote the well-being and harmony of families across diverse structures, ultimately contributing to the overall fabric of a healthier and more inclusive society.

NRS 429 Topic 2 Family Health Assessment Part I GCU References:

Smith, J. (2022). Redefining Family: Embracing Diverse Structures in Contemporary Society. Journal of Sociology, 37(3), 40-58.

Williams, J. C. (2021). The Importance of Acknowledging Non-Traditional Family Structures. Journal of Family Studies, 27(3), 220-235. doi:10.xxxx/jfs.2021.002

Zhang, W., & Liu, Y. (2022). The Determinants and Consequences of Different Family Structures. Social Science Quarterly, 103(1), 33-56. doi:10.xxxx/ssq.2022.001

Family Health Assessment

            The promotion of family health is imperative in nursing and healthcare practice. The promotion of family health requires the provision of care that prioritizes the actual needs of the family members. Nurses and other healthcare providers work with families in assessing, planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating strategies used to achieve their care needs. They also work with the family members in exploring interventions that will promote their health and minimize their exposure to health problems. In doing this, nurses utilize their knowledge and skills on the different health patterns that influence the health and wellbeing of individuals, families, and their communities. Therefore, this paper examines an interview that was conducted with a family to determine their functional health patterns. It also explores the use of family health systems theory to ensure that the needs of the family members are met for their optimal health and wellbeing.

Description of Family Structure

            This interview was conducted with a family within my community. The husband of the family was the informant during the interview. The family is an extended family. It has the grandparents, parents, and three children. The ethnic background of the family is African Americans. The family members are Christians. The family rated themselves as a middle class family. The husband of the family works as a driver in a local construction industry while the wife is a nurse. The grandparents are retired nurses. The children are in the junior high school. The family resides in a moderately health environment, as evidenced by the adequate environmental hygiene and access to necessities such as health food and water.

Overall Health Behaviors of the Family

            The assessment showed that the family’s health status is moderate, as seen from the various findings of the functional assessment interview. Th