NRS 429 Assignment: Family Health Assessment Part I -

NRS 429 Assignment: Family Health Assessment Part I

Sample Answer for NRS 429 Assignment: Family Health Assessment Part I Included After Question

Description:

Understanding family structure and style is essential to patient and family care. Conducting a family interview and needs assessment gathers information to identify strengths, as well as potential barriers to health. This information ultimately helps develop family-centered strategies for support and guidance.

This family health assessment is a two-part assignment. The information you gather in this initial assignment will be utilized for the second assignment in Topic 3.

Develop an interview questionnaire to be used in a family-focused functional assessment. The questionnaire must include three open-ended, family-focused questions to assess functional health patterns for each of the following:

1. Values/Health Perception
2. Nutrition
3. Sleep/Rest
4. Elimination
5. Activity/Exercise
6. Cognitive
7. Sensory-Perception
8. Self-Perception
9. Role Relationship
10. Sexuality
11. Coping

Select a family, other than your own, and seek permission from the family to conduct an interview. Utilize the interview questions complied in your interview questionnaire to conduct a family-focused functional assessment. Document the responses as you conduct the interview.

Upon completion of the interview, write a 750-1,000-word paper. Analyze your assessment findings. Submit your questionnaire as an appendix with your assignment.

Include the following in your paper:

1. Describe the family structure. Include individuals and any relevant attributes defining the family composition, race/ethnicity, social class, spirituality, and environment.
2. Summarize the overall health behaviors of the family. Describe the current health of the family.
3. Based on your findings, describe at least two of the functional health pattern strengths noted in the findings. Discuss three areas in which health problems or barriers to health were identified.
4. Describe how family systems theory can be applied to solicit changes in family members that, in turn, initiate positive changes to the overall family functions over time.

Cite at least three peer-reviewed or scholarly sources to complete this assignment. Sources should be published within the last 5 years and appropriate for the assignment criteria.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion. You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to theLopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NRS 429 Assignment: Family Health Assessment Part I

Title: NRS 429 Assignment: Family Health Assessment Part I

Family Health Assessment is crucial in identifying the family’s strength and weakness in terms of access to quality and affordable care. The assessment also provides crucial information to the healthcare practitioners on the threats to achieving comprehensive health and general wellness for the whole population. Furthermore, the family assessment prepares nurses especially the Family Nurse Practitioners with the relevant skills required in the assessment of the family health patterns and be able to offer family-based solutions (Peterson-Burch, 2018). The concept has also proved to be instrumental in advancement of genetic interventions in some of the complex conditions.

Family Structure

In my family health assessment, I interviewed the family of Mr. and Mrs. K. The family unit is composed of three elderly adults of age between 60 to 95 years and two young adults, a 21-year-old female and a 24-year-old male. The family is of Hispanic -American descent, Mr. K is 68-year-old retired attorney while Mrs. K is a 60-year-old retired high school teacher they live together with Mrs. K’s mother who is 92-year-old battling arthritis and Alzheimer. All the family members are practicing Catholics with an upper middle class economic standard. They have enough pension to cater for their medical, food and other family expenses.

Family Health and Family Behavior

The current family health behavior is focused on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Mr. and Mrs. K have regular exercise schedules in the gym. They do exercise thrice a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. They do also maintain a healthy diet to keep them healthy. Mr. K has a history of hyperlipidemia while Mrs. K has hypertension, they both manage the health conditions well through diet and exercise. Their two elderly children are healthy, with no pre-existing medical conditions. They are normal with above average performance in school. They have been excelling in both academic and sporting activities. The 24-year-old son has interest in soccer and plays in the college soccer team while the 21-year-old has been participating in the tennis ball competitions since she was a 6-year-old. Mrs. K’s mother has been battling arthritis and Alzheimer for the last five years. She attends regular therapy to relieve the pain associated with arthritis.

NRS 429 Assignment Family Health Assessment Part I

Functional Health Patterns; Strengths and Barriers to Health

In the assessment of the family’s health pattern strength and weakness, it was clear that the family lifestyle and concern about health has helped the family members remain healthy. The family members are engaged in regular exercise and nutrition which are precursors to staying healthy and fit. Mr. K has been able to successfully manage his hyperlipidemia while Mrs. K has been managing hypertensive condition through regular exercise and diet. The strength towards adoption of the health promotion measures as one of the key pillars in the Affordable Care Act that advocates for reduced pressure on healthcare resources and facilities through health promotion measures (Courtemanche et al., 2018). Additionally, give the level of education of Mr.and Mrs. K they are fully aware and knowledgeable on the health matters concerning, health insurance, immunization and vaccination programs and general health promotion measures. The fact that they are practicing Catholics with strong foundation in Christian values of faith, love, patience and compassion, it helps in strong family culture of unity and helping each other overcome the emotional stress that might arise from the workplace or school. The religious guidance has for long been associated with improved mental health among the adolescents and young adults (Estrada et al., 2019). Another strength noted in ensuring a healthy pattern and lifestyle in the excellent communication skills that exists between the family members. They do discuss in open any challenges they are facing and this helps in coping up with stress.

The barrier to health that were noted could be limited energy and ability to exercise due to their advanced age. Another barrier to health in the family is Mrs. K’s mother’s health condition that has put the family under stress especially when her arthritis condition becomes very severe. This condition calls for both physical and emotional support o help the patient in coping up with the condition (Brignon et al., 2020). Mrs. K elimination complexity has been an area of concern and discomfort that has hindered her from fully enjoying a quality life.

Family Systems Theory

The family system theory views a family as a complex social system where the individual behaviors of the family members influence one another and make a collective interactive system. The system is observed as a whole and not as a single unit or individual person. The role Family Health Nurses Practitioners (FHNP) has been gaining popularity over the years; however, the enhancing health care practices requires a multifactorial approach that brings together all the stakeholders to realize effective change in healthcare (Duhamel, 2017). Families are encouraged to incorporate collective health promotion measures such as health diet, regular exercise, hygiene and following immunization and vaccination programs.

In the coping with stress issues in the family, the family notes of doing outdoor activities such as working on the garden, exercising and meditation. They mention of experiencing stress about the current situation of Covid-19 condition and stress due dealing with grown up children’s issues. The family systems theory can be instrumental in helping strengthen communication between the family members. The fact that all the family members are practicing Catholics, they can have joint sessions of Bible study and prayer sessions together to help in dealing with the stress and the psychological and mental effects associated with Covid-19 pandemic.

Conclusion

Family health assessment process helps the nurse practitioner better understand the family health patterns, the strengths and barriers families experience in access to quality care and achievement of the complete functional health that guarantees the family members quality life. In my family assessment report, I was able to interview a Hispanic-American family of five people. Three elderly adults and two young adults. The family being from the middle upper middle class, have adequate resources and descent living. Though the family has elderly family members battling chronic illness of hyperlipidemia, hypertension and arthritis, they have been able to manage the conditions well through proper nutrition, regular exercise and adherence to the prescribed medication.

References

Brignon, M., Vioulac, C., Boujut, E., Delannoy, C., Beauvais, C., Kivits, J., Poivret, D., Giraudet Le Quintrec, J., Untas, A., & Rat, A. (2020). Patients and relatives coping with inflammatory arthritis: Care teamwork. Health Expectations : An International Journal of Public Participation in Health Care and Health Policy, 23(1), 137–147. https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.12982

Courtemanche, C., Marton, J., Ukert, B., Yelowitz, A., & Zapata, D. (2018). Effects of the Affordable Care Act on Health Care Access and Self-Assessed Health After 3 Years. INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 55, 004695801879636. https://doi.org/10.1177/0046958018796361

Duhamel, F. (2017). Translating Knowledge From a Family Systems Approach to Clinical Practice: Insights From Knowledge Translation Research Experiences. Journal of Family Nursing, 23(4), 461–487. https://doi.org/10.1177/1074840717739030

Estrada, C. A. M., Lomboy, M. F. T. C., Gregorio, E. R., Amalia, E., Leynes, C. R., Quizon, R. R., & Kobayashi, J. (2019). Religious education can contribute to adolescent mental health in school settings. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-019-0286-7

Peterson-Burch, F. M. (2018). Family Matters: The Nurse’s Role in Assessing Family Health History in Ocular Disease. Insight (American Society of Ophthalmic Registered Nurses), 43(4), 23–25. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6169806/

Appendix A

Family Focused Functional Assessment Questionnaire

Values, health perception:

How healthy is your family? I would say that we are moderately healthy with the exception of having a few co-morbidities. My husband, Gregory has hyperlipidemia, I have hypertension. Both co-morbidities are controlled by medication, diet, and exercise.

Do you and your family value be healthy? As a couple entering our seasoned years, we see the value of managing our health. The healthier we live, the longer we will be able to enjoy life.

Do you always try to follow doctor’s recommendations when given? In most parts, we follow doctor’s instructions. We get our annual physicals, vaccinations, and health screening as instructed.

Nutrition:

Do you read labels for nutrition value? On occasion we read label due

to see the amount of sodium.

What kind of snacks do you eat? Nuts, popcorn, grapes, cheese

Do you have diet restrictions and are you compliant? Both of us watch our sodium and cholesterol intake. Generally, we eat lots of fish, vegetables, and grains. We bake or grill our meats and veggies. Our

Biggest challenge is eating out at restaurants frequently.

Sleep/Rest:

How much sleep do you get a night? We both get about 6-8 hours each night

Does anyone snore? Gregory snores a little during allergy seasons

What problems do you experience with getting sleep? Gregory and I both have some periods of insomnia during stress times (work, projects, school)

4.Elimination:

Do you all have normal bowel movements? How often? Gregory has regular bowel movements; never an issue. Angela has history of irregularities and constipation; uses laxatives on occasion

Are you experiencing any changes in elimination system? We are both experiencing changes- as old man says he never passes up a restroom;

We both laugh at each other

Have you had the 50 year colonoscopy? We have both had our initial

colonoscopy; Angela- one and done; Gregory has had followed up- clear

Activity/Exercise:

How much exercise do you get in a typical week? We try to get 30 mins

to 1 hour 3 times a week

What types of exercise do you do? Walking on treadmill, riding echelon

stationary bike, and weights

Cognitive:

Do you ever get confused? We both do not get confused. At times forgetful

Are you experiencing any memory loss? No, we both have not experienced any memory loss.

How are decisions made? We make decisions together after discussion

Sensory-Perception:

How is your eyesight? We both wear glasses. Angela- for computer work and driving; farsightedness; Gregory- glasses or contacts always

Is taste a problem? Gregory taste buds poor

Do you have any numbness and tingling in extremities? We both are not experiencing any numbness or tingling.

Self-Perception:

Do you feel hopeful about the future? We both are feeling very hopeful for the future. The pandemic has caused a lot of grief to family, church family, and friends. Overall our spirits are better now that we both have the covid vaccination and cases are dropping.

What do you think of yourself? We are both self-confident in our abilities, education, and self-worth.

Have you experienced any depression or mental illness? We both have no mental illness. Gregory suffered from depression more than 10 years ago.

Role Relationship:

How is your marital relationship? We are both happy in our martial relationship. We both previously married but find that this relationship is far more enjoyable and appreciative.

How do you discipline your children? Our child are grown

How do you deal with conflicts? We agreed many years ago that communication was the key to resolving issues or problems.

Sexuality:

How often do you have sex? Gregory would say “not enough”; currently 2 times weekly- Angela needs to increase energy

Is there any sexual dysfunction? Not at present

How would rate your sexual relationship? We agree that “it is well”

Coping:

What methods do you use to deal with stress? Exercise, gardening, reading and meditation

Have there been any prominent stressful events in your life lately? Yes, dealing with the effects of Covid, dealing with grown children’s issues

What are your strengths and concerns with dealing with stress? We both agree that communication about issues is key, being on the “same sheet of music”

VARK Analysis Paper

Understanding the learning needs and styles of learners is important for the realization of optimum outcomes in the learning process. Nurse educators often utilize tools such as the VARK Questionnaire to understand the different learning styles of their learners and the appropriate mix of the needed learning styles. Diverse learning styles should be incorporated into the learning process to address the unique needs of the learners. In addition, the understanding facilitates the realization of optimum outcomes in health promotion initiatives. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyze my VARK Questionnaire results and how I will incorporate them into my practice.

Summary of the Learning Style

The VARK Questionnaire results showed me as a multimodal learner. I utilize multimodal learning styles where I combine different methods of communication and doing things. The results showed that I use kinesthetic most of the time followed by visual, reading/writing, and aural. The assessment results imply that I largely utilize my senses to achieve my desired learning outcomes. I also employ visual learning tools such as graphs, maps, and diagrams to achieve optimum learning outcomes. There is also the aspect of participative learning through methods that include discussion, listening, and taking notes that inform my learning (Huang, 2019). Therefore, being a multimodal learner, I tend to utilize optimally all the different learning styles utilized in nursing education.

Preferred Learning Strategies

I prefer utilizing a range of learning strategies as a student nurse. One of them is group discussions and lectures. Lectures enable me to gain abstract knowledge related to different nursing concepts. I utilize group discussions to broaden my understanding and application of these concepts. I also prefer learning by watching demonstrations. This approach entails the use of tools that include videos, graphs,

diagrams, and charts. Demonstrations increase my retention of knowledge and the development of new skills. I also prefer writing to enhance my understanding and act as a source of future reference (Cimermanová, 2018). My preferred learning strategies relate to those of the VARK Questionnaire results, as it shows that I utilize multiple learning strategies to achieve optimum learning outcomes.

Effect of Individual Learning Style on Understanding or Educational Performance

Learners have diverse learning styles that affect the degree to which a learner can understand or perform educational activities. They utilize different learning styles, including aural, visual, reading/writing, and kinesthetic, which should be incorporated into the learning process. Nurse educators should strive to incorporate multimodal learning styles to address the learners’ diverse needs. They should also assist their students to learn how to incorporate their learning styles to different situations in their education and practice. Nursing students that have developed competencies in integrating their preferred learning styles into educational and practice activities have a high level of education and practice performance. They also demonstrate enhanced abilities in responding to complex, emerging needs in their education and practice, hence, their high performance (Vizeshfar&Torabizadeh, 2018). Consequently, nurse educators need to investigate and understand how different learning styles can be used in teaching to achieve their students’ learning needs.

Learning Styles in Health Promotion

Health promotion entails the adoption of interventions that minimize the risks and progression of a health problem in a population. Understanding the learning styles of the participants in health promotion contributes to the realization of the desired outcome. The understanding ensures that nurses adopt effective lifestyle and behavioral interventions that suit the needs and preferences of the target populations. It also ensures the alignment of health promotion strategies with the existing knowledge, skills, and expectations of the targeted populations. Learning styles can also affect behavioral change in the population. For example, the use of an appropriate learning style underpins the existing knowledge and skills in the population, increasing its ability to achieve the desired behavioral outcomes (Shirazi & Heidari, 2019). There is also the increased likelihood of resource efficiency due to the ease with which the desired behavioral outcomes are achieved in change implementation.

Understanding the learning styles of the participants in health promotion also promotes sustainable change. Accordingly, the participants embrace approaches to behavioral change that can be incorporated easily into their routines. The understanding also contributes to the empowerment of participants targeted by the behavioral change. The empowerment arises due to the enhanced relevance of the change initiatives, which can lead to project ownership (Huang, 2019). Therefore, education specialists should be involved in teaching the target population how to use the different approaches to learning to enhance the outcomes of health promotion initiatives.

Conclusion

Overall, understanding the different learning styles of learners is important for the realization of optimum outcomes in nursing education. Nurse educators should incorporate learning approaches that address the unique learning needs of nursing students. Tools such as the VARK Questionnaire can be used to understand nursing students’ different learning styles. The knowledge on learning styles can also be incorporated into health promotion activities to ensure relevance, sustainability, and empowerment of change adopters.

References

Cimermanová, I. (2018). The Effect of Learning Styles on Academic Achievement in Different Forms of Teaching.International Journal of Instruction, 11(3), 219–232.

Huang, T.-C. (2019). Do different learning styles make a difference when it comes to creativity? An empirical study.Computers in Human Behavior, 100, 252–257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.10.003

Shirazi, F., &Heidari, S. (2019). The Relationship Between Critical Thinking Skills and Learning Styles and Academic Achievement of Nursing Students. The Journal of Nursing Research, 27(4), e38. https://doi.org/10.1097/jnr.0000000000000307

Vizeshfar, F., &Torabizadeh, C. (2018). The effect of teaching based on dominant learning style on nursing students’ academic achievement. Nurse Education in Practice, 28, 103–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2017.10.013

Click here to ORDER an A++ paper from our MASTERS and DOCTORATE WRITERS: NRS 429 Assignment: Family Health Assessment Part I

Description

Objectives:

1. Discuss contemporary family structures.
2. Discuss the concepts related to family health promotion.
3. Apply family systems theory.
4. Develop strategies for family-centered health promotion

Promotion: Health and Wellness Across the Continuum

Description:

Read Chapter 4 in Health Promotion: Health and Wellness Across the Continuum.

Calgary Family Intervention Model: One Way to Think About Change

Description:

Read “Calgary Family Intervention Model: One Way to Think About Change,” by Wright and Leahey, from Journal of Marital and Family Therapy(1994).

Calgary Model of Family Assessment: Experience in a Community Service Project

Description:

Read “Calgary Model of Family Assessment: Experience in a Community Service Project,” by Mantelo Cecilio, Sturiao dos Santos, and Silva Marcon, from Cogitare Enfermagem(2014).

Optional: Nurses and Families: A Guide to Family Assessment and Intervention

Description:

For additional information, the following is recommended:

Chapters 3 and 4 from the online eBook, Nurses and Families: A Guide to Family Assessment and Intervention, by Wright and Leahey (2012), available through ProQuest Ebook Central in the GCU Library.

Application of the Calgary Family Assessment and Intervention Models: Reflections on the Reciprocity Between the Personal and the Professional

Description:

Read “Application of the Calgary Family Assessment and Intervention Models: Reflections on the Reciprocity Between the Personal and the Professional,” by Leahey and Wright, from Journal of Family Nursing(2016).

Initial Course Survey

Description: In an effort for continuous improvement, Grand Canyon University would like you to provide feedback about your experience with the university. Your participation is appreciated. Click on the link to begin the survey.

A Sample Answer 2 For the Assignment: NRS 429 Assignment: Family Health Assessment Part I

Title: NRS 429 Assignment: Family Health Assessment Part I

SAMPLE 2: Family Health Assessment

Family health assessment involves obtaining information from a family about their health status, disease prevention, and health promotion activities. The nurse assesses the family’s status, its capacity to sustain itself as a functioning unit and system, and its capacity to promote wellness, prevent, control, and address problems to attain health and well-being in its members (Barnes et al., 2020). In this assignment, I interviewed Family Z using the Gordon Functional Health Patterns to assess its health status. The purpose of this paper is to describe the family structure, health behaviors, and strengths and weaknesses in the health patterns.

Family Structure

Family Z is composed of four members, Mr. Z (49 years), Mrs. Z (47 years), daughter Z (24 years), and son Z (19 years). It is an African American family living in Conroe, TX. The family falls under the middle-class income group with an average annual household income of $105 000. Mr. Z is an accountant working in an insurance firm, while Mrs. Z is a paralegal working in a real estate firm. Daughter Z graduated from university six months ago and is currently an intern in a media company. Son Z is a 2^nd-year student studying Biotechnology. In addition, it is a Catholic family, and they report attending Sunday mass at least twice a month. The family lives in a suburban estate, with accessibility to schools, healthcare facilities, malls, and transportation options. All members have a health insurance cover, enabling them to access healthcare services.

Health Behaviors of the Family

Family Z has adopted some healthy behaviors, which they have perceived as important to prevent diseases and promote overall good health. The behaviors include avoiding tobacco smoking, having limited alcohol consumption, and eating 3-4 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. The family is currently in good health with no history of chronic medical or psychiatric illnesses. The family members state that they attend annual medical check-ups to monitor blood sugar and blood pressure, PSA test, Pap smear, and get their annual Flu shots. However, Mr. Z is overweight, putting him at risk of lifestyle diseases. The overweight can be attributed to inadequate physical exercise and a family history of obesity.

Functional Health Pattern Strengths and Health Problems/Barriers

We identified two functional health pattern strengths and three areas of health problems and barriers from the family interview. Strengths were noted in the functional health patterns of Values/Health Perception and Nutrition. Findings in the Values/Health Perception pattern include the family engaging in health promotional and disease prevention activities such as attending wellness programs, immunization, breast, and testicular self-exam, limiting alcohol consumption, and avoiding the use of tobacco and other illicit drugs (Khatiban et al., 2019). The family perceives that the health promotion activities are relevant to their health, and failing to uphold them will be detrimental. The nutrition pattern is a strength-based on the family’s healthy dietary habits such as having 3-4 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, preparing balanced meals, limiting the intake of high-fat foods, consumption of at least 2L of water per person, and limiting purchase and intake of junk food.

Health problems and barriers were noted in the Sleep/Rest, Activity/Exercise, and Coping patterns. In the sleep/rest pattern, the family members reported having less than 6 hours per day of sleep. Mr. and Mrs. Z reported that they often worked at night and slept late, which impaired their sleeping habits. Mrs. Z sometimes uses sleeping pills to reduce night-time awakening. The son reported that he spent much of his free time binge-watching movies and often slept for less than 6 hours. In the Activity/Exercise pattern, the family reported having inadequate physical exercises (Khatiban et al., 2019). The only form of exercise was walking, and they reported having low fitness levels. Health problems in the Coping pattern include high-stress levels among some family members and a history of using stress-relieving drugs. Besides, the family reported having ineffective approaches to handling stressful issues, with some members having anger management issues.

Application of the Family Systems Theory

The family systems theory perceives the family as an emotional unit and applies systems thinking to define the complex interactions in a family unit. The theory assumes that it is a family’s nature for its members to be deeply connected emotionally (Erdem & Safi, 2018). Family members seek each other’s approval, attention, and support and respond to each other’s needs, expectations, and distress. The theory can be applied to initiate changes in family members by pointing out a health need in the family, such as the need to increase physical exercise (Petridou et al., 2019). The members can be encouraged to support each other as they engage in physical exercises to better their health.

Conclusion

Family Z is an African American middle-income family having four members. The family practices healthy health promotion and disease prevention interventions. Strengths were noted in the Values/Health Perception and Nutrition patterns, which have promoted a good health status. However, health problems and barriers were identified in Sleep/Rest, Activity/Exercise, and Coping patterns.

References

Barnes, M. D., Hanson, C. L., Novilla, L. B., Magnusson, B. M., Crandall, A. C., & Bradford, G. (2020). Family-centered health promotion: Perspectives for engaging families and achieving better health outcomes. INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 57, 0046958020923537. https://doi.org/10.1177/0046958020923537

Erdem, G., & Safi, O. A. (2018). The cultural lens approach to Bowen family systems theory: Contributions of family change theory. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 10(2), 469-483. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12258

Khatiban, M., Tohidi, S., & Shahdoust, M. (2019). The effects of applying an assessment form based on the health functional patterns on nursing student’s attitude and skills in developing the nursing process. International journal of nursing sciences, 6(3), 329–333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2019.06.004

Petridou, A., Siopi, A., & Mougios, V. (2019). Exercise in the management of obesity. Metabolism, 92, 163-169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2018.10.009

A Sample Answer 3 For the Assignment: NRS 429 Assignment: Family Health Assessment Part I

Title: NRS 429 Assignment: Family Health Assessment Part I

Indeed, family is in part a subjective concept, especially with the constant changes in society. Mayowa (2019) suggests that the US Bureau defines family as two or more individuals, where one is the household related by birth, adoption, marriage, and living together. However, this definition leaves out heterosexual and homosexual individuals who are cohabiting. Notably, society has become more diverse and given more leeway to individuals to do what works for them. One can then incorporate the existence of intimate and interpersonal relationships into the family definition, as opposed to the set of members in the institution.

Examples of non-traditional family structures include single-parent and same-sex marriage families. Others include polygamous families and cohabiting parents. It is vital to acknowledge these families for several reasons. The first and probably most significant is to allow children raised in these families access to vital services such as healthcare, quality education, and normalcy that children from traditional families enjoy (Foli et al., 2022). Failure to acknowledge these families could lead t insecurity issues among these children.

The family system theory is powerful and suggests that the family is a complex, dynamic, and changing collection of parts, subsystems, and family members. According to Calatrava et al. (2022), the theory describes the constant change of the family system from man, wife, and children to other forms that incorporate cohabitation, polygamy, same-sex marriages, and others. Moreover, it explains how these families relate. For example, the system theory suggests differentiation, where children are encouraged to develop a strong sense of self and a strong decision-making system. The theory further suggests the family projection process, that parents should not pass on their emotional traumas to their children, regardless of the family dynamic. In addition, it suggests the multi-generation transmission system, where parents need a differentiated sense of self to raise differentiated children.

References

Calatrava, M., Martins, M. V., Schweer-Collins, M., Duch-Ceballos, C., & Rodríguez-González, M. (2022). Differentiation of self: A scoping review of Bowen family systems theory’s core construct. Clinical Psychology Review, 91, 102101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2021.102101

Foli, K. J., VanGraafeiland, B., Snethen, J. A., & Greenberg, C. S. (2022). Caring for nontraditional families: Kinship, foster, and adoptive. Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing, 27(3), e12388. https://doi.org/10.1111/jspn.12388

Mayowa, I. (2019). Family institution and modernization: A sociological perspective. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 9(8), 99-105. https://doi.org/10.7176/rhss/9-8-14

A Sample Answer 4 For the Assignment: NRS 429 Assignment: Family Health Assessment Part I

Title: NRS 429 Assignment: Family Health Assessment Part I

This paper aim to highlight the significance of family assessment and how it can be used to inform interventions and support services for families. Additionally, the thesis would explore different family assessment methods, tools, and approaches and their effectiveness in capturing the complexities of family dynamics and relationships. Ultimately, the paper would contribute to a better understanding of the importance of family assessment and its impact on individual and family well-being. This assessment typically involves gathering information using interview questionnaire which covers the family values/health perceptions, nutrition, sleep/rest, elimination, and others to examine the critical role of family assessment in identifying the strengths and needs of families and promoting positive outcomes for individuals within the family system. Family members are connected, it is more accurate to consider the system rather than its components. (Alves Viana& Ferreira Martins Ribeiro, 2022) Overall health behaviors of the family, family systems theory and their current health will be discussed.

The Family Structure

The family for this project consists of five members, two sons, one 11years and 17 years and one daughter who is seven years as well as their mother who is 35 years and father, who is 41 years called George. The parents were originally from Haiti before they moved to the United States. Their daughter was born in New Jersey.

They are middle class family, with the father working as an elementary school teacher and wife working as a CNA in a nearby hospital. The family live in a two-bedroom apartment in a very clean neighborhood. The family are Anglicans, and they attend Church every Sunday. They are very friendly and five of them participated in the interview by answering the questions about their health from the list presented. All the questions are based on the eleven trends in functional health.

Family Health and Behaviors

The George’s family responded well that they try their best in maintaining healthy habits. The father said that the children are on mandatory plan to go for checkups twice a year on the first week of January and second week of June: after that, the mother and the father will go. None of the members has any complicated health issues and they try to inquire from health experts about health activities to involve themselves in.

In the area of nutrition, the mother insisted that she has always had nutrition tips from the family nutritionist. Still at times, she experiences challenges in following the tips due to the less time she has due to her job. She still makes sure the family eat more of home prepared food and have an intake of five to ten servings of fruits that are in season. Vegetables, proteins, and carbs containing their nutrition.

Both parents have set 7 to 8 hours sleep patterns for all the children since health experts have proved that they will have enough rest with such patterns. The children do take naps of about 30minutes -one hour a day. It could be more than this one weekends.

The elimination trends identified that each member goes to the bathroom as nature demands (up to six times a day) None of the family members complained of infrequent bowel movement or any problem with urination. They all have normal bowel patterns. The oldest son was the only family member who indicated perspiring more than the others. This was because he is active in riding his bike and cannot be linked to any causes. The family encourages drinking of water upon getting out of bed to help in elimination. The mother monitors the bowel patten of the younger one and gives more vegetables if she notices hard stool. She said she gives additional water for dark urine. The wellness diagnoses in this trend indicates conduciveness of bowel movement. On the activity and exercise, the father and the two sons always have a morning jog on weekends. This was after he started gaining weight and was advised to start exercising, which seems to be working well for him even though the wife does not involve herself with any exercise as she always claims that she does not have enough for that She has her body in check and moves around a lot at her job. The mother pays attention to symptoms of flu like coughing, sneezing, running nose. She observes behaviors such as not willing to get out of bed or being sluggish and she gives prompt attention to these.

On the cognitive trend, the father is the head of the family, but he and his wife are seen to be responsible for health care decisions. However, they are well knowledgeable on health, and they seek help from their primary physicians on anything they do not understand. All family members are seen healthy non is confused, with good eyesight and smell and tasting sensational. The oldest son is diagnosed with presbyopia and uses glasses to reflect on sensory perception (Becqui et al…2019).

Moreover, in the role of relationship, the family was seen to have a sense of unity and love where the work in the house is shared between each family member. Everyone helps to clean the house and helps in the kitchen. The oldest son takes out trash on Sunday and Wednesday evenings. The two buys fold their clothes after laundry while their father oversees ironing the clothes. Both parents do the groceries, but the mother oversees cooking for the family. Members of the family settle their differences with the use of dialogue. They show love for each other by ensuring they have family hour on weekends that the mother is not working because she works every other weekends. They all go to the park and eat outside once in two weeks after Church service.

The husband and wife verbalized normal sexual relationship which helps in strengthening their relationship. The wife said her husband is very considerate with his demands whenever he notices that she had a stressful day. The family is very caring and supportive when it comes to coping with anxiety, depression, or stress. They care for each other and see that the whole family is healthy physically and spiritually.

Health Findings

Over the previous months, their elder son has been stressed by his performance and bullying at school, leading to transfer. The best way to cope with the stress was constant support and therapy to ensure that he could recover. This situation has started to affect the family relationships because he used to isolate himself from rest occasionally, and the family have planned to spend time together, helping each other understand one another. They now hold family devotion every morning. Overall, the George’s family was seen to have its family health and nutrition in check because they eat more of carbohydrate. They have been advised to ensure they do not develop any health issues that will jeopardize their future. Also, all the family should avoid stress by any means since stress has been seen to deteriorate the health of individuals.

Family System Theory

Family therapy Family systems theory is often used in family therapy to help families improve communication, resolve conflicts, and develop healthier relationships. Therapists trained in family systems theory work with the entire family, rather than just one individual, to identify patterns of behavior and communication that may be contributing to family problems.

Bowen’s family systems theory is a classic approach to examine family processes and problems (Green, 2018) Change that occurs in a subsystem will affect the other parts. If one member of the family decides to eat healthier and work out often, this action and decision will impact the rest of the family and vice versa.

Conclusion

Nurses will be able to tailor a nursing care education plan to the family if they understand that family well, handle situations and perform tasks. Family interview allows nurses to collect useful and important information on overall and current health behaviors so that they can create family-centered strategies to effectively support and guide their patients. Family interviews can help identify the individual’s support systems, including family members, friends, and other resources. This information can be useful for developing a comprehensive care plan that addresses the individual’s physical, emotional, and social needs. Family interviews can provide insights into the family’s cultural background and values, which can be important for providing culturally sensitive care.

References

Hook, M. P. (2019). Social work practice with families: A resiliency-based approach. Oxford University Press.

Kaakinen, J. R., Coehlo, D. P., Steele, R., & Robinson, M. (2018). Family health care nursing: Theory, practice, and research. F.A. Davis.

Shajan, Z., & Snell, D. (2019). Wright & Leahey’s nurses and families: A guide to family assessment and intervention. F.A. Davis.

Appendix:

Family Interview Questionnaire and Responses

Values/Health Perception What are the top three values of your family’s health? How do you currently in cooperate those values in your family’s health? How do your perceptions affect your family’s health?	Our family values being healthy as possible, having a reasonable diet according to one’s health, and using cultural resources when applicable. We currently in cooperate those values in our family’s healthy by cooking traditional meals that have high source of vegetables and protein. Our perceptions positively impact our family’s health. As both parents work in the medical field, we understand the importance of our health, which leads to teaching our children how to make healthier choices.
Nutrition Approximately how many servings of fruits, vegetables, protein, and carbs, does each family member intake in a day? What would you change in your family’s nutrition/diet? How does your current nutrition impact your daily performances?	Each family member intakes at least five to ten servings of fruit, vegetables, protein, and carbs. We would decrease our intake of carbs and replace it with protein. Our current nutrition allows us to be physically and mentally active for a long period of time.
Sleep/Rest What time does the family sleep and what time do they wake up? How many family members can take naps during each day, and approximately for how long? For the family members who wake up earlier than the rest, how does waking up early affect the rest of your day?	The family sleep at nine o’ clock on weekdays, and ten o’ clock on weekends. On weekdays, we wake up between 5-7 o’ clock in the morning, and on weekends we wake up at 7:30 in the morning. The children have time to take naps during the days, and their naps are about 30 mins to an hour long. Members that wake up earlier than the rest make them feel a lot more tried and worn out towards the end of each day. However, they get a lot more done in a day by waking up early.
Elimination About how many times a day does each member go to the toilet? What methods are used in toilet training your toddler? How concerned does the family get with toileting and incontinence?	Each member goes to the bathroom 6 to 7 times a day. To toilet train our toddler, we remove his diaper and have him sit on the toilet for at least five minutes. If he does potty in the toilet, we praise him and reward him with his favorite snacks.

	3. If there seem to be something unusual or abnormal with a member’s toileting and incontinence, we take that very seriously and contact our physician.
Activity/Exercise About how long does each person in the family exercise in a day, and how many times in a week? What kinds of exercises, such as cardio, strength training, sports, does each person in the family prefer? What do you suggest that your family can improve on regarding exercise?	Each person exercises for at least an hour in a day, and at least three times a week. The kids either go on a walk with the parents or play basketball in the backyard. The parents go to the gym and focus more on cardio. We could include more strength training exercises and introduce our children to more sports other than basketball.
Cognitive From 1 to 10 (10 being great), how would you rate your family’s ability to understand and use the English language and materials written in English? What general steps does your family take to understand and solve problems? How are decisions made?	As an immigrant family, and English being our second language, we would rate our family’s ability to understand English and material written in English as an 8.5. To understand and solve problems, our family identifies the issue, defines our goals, generate solutions, evaluates the best solution, and go from there. Decisions are made by everyone voicing out their opinions first. Then, considering everyone’s opinion, we base our decision on that.
Sensory-Perception How do you determine when a member is ill? How is your family’s eyesight? Is taste a problem, if so, how it is affecting your day to day lives?	To determine a member is ill, we notice their behavior changing (such as feeling tired and refusing to do normal things). Then, we look at their symptoms (coughing, sneezing, runny nose, headache, etc.). Our family has prescription glasses by the osteopathic, so eyesight is not a problem. No, taste is not a problem.
Self-Perception What are your family’s hopes for the future? What was the best event with your family? What was the worst event with your family?	Our family’s hopes for the future are to be able to travel more and have our children graduate college one day. A current, best event with our family was when we went shopping, and later had dinner at Cheesecake Factory. The worst event with our family was when one of our children got the flu.

Role Relationship

What are the roles of each family member?
What chores does each family member contribute to?
How are your relationships outside of the family?

The parents go to work and the children attend online school on the weekdays. On the weekend, everyone helps to clean the house. Meals are either prepared by the mother or father.
The parents clean the bathrooms, kitchen, and living room. Since the children are young, they help with small chores, such as helping with folding the laundry, and cleaning up their playroom.
The family’s relationship outside is professional, polite, and not too interfering.

Sexuality

What are your beliefs and attitudes about your own sexuality?
How would you describe the adult relationship within the family?
How do you feel about your gender

identity?

We believe it is completely normal to feel sexual feelings, and sexual feelings allow the adult relationship to stay strong.
The adult relationship with the family is healthy, supportive, and loyal.
We feel confident and certain about our gender identity.

Coping

What methods are used when dealing with stress?
How do you determine when a member is stressed?
How are members of the family supporting each other when coping with stress?

When one is stressed, they usually sit and think, plan, or exercise.
To determine when a member is stressed, we notice them feeling low, complaining, or presenting anxious behavior.
To support a member who is stressed, everyone else is by their side so that they have someone they can talk openly talk to.