Family Health Assessment

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Family can best be described as a social unit living together, usually under one roof. They can be related by blood, marriage, cohabitation or adoption (Merriam-Webster, 2010). Each family member can function independently in their own defined roles. When family’s roles are combined with one another, their beliefs and values usually support the family unit. These beliefs, values, and practices influence the health promotion and disease prevention in which they seek (Edelman & Mandle, 2010). The assessment of these practices is an essential role nurse’s play in caring for each individual and family. By using the family focused approach the nurse can determine the support and care a family can provide to the patient. The nurse can then assess the family’s potential of obtaining optimal health. The purpose of this paper is for the nurse to complete a health assessment of a family by using Gordon’s 11 functional health patterns and the system’s approach. By using open ended questions for the 11 principals, the nurse can predict potential problems in the health perception, nutrition, elimination, activity-exercise, cognitive perception, rest-sleep, self perception/concept, role relationship, sexuality, coping, values and beliefs by evaluating the risk taking and behavioral patterns within the family. A nursing diagnosis and care plan can then be developed by using the data collected during the interview. The nurse can then provide health care interventions which will assist the family in obtaining optimal health (Edelman & Mandle, 2010). The family interviewed consists of five family members. The father, age 50, the mother, age 46, and three children, a son, age 20, a son, age 18, and a daughter, age 12. Both parents work full time jobs, both sons’ work part time and attend college, and the daughter is in middle school.
Health Perception and Health Management

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