Introduction to Family Nursing Care

Presented by Clinical Instructor K. Karen Versales Pajarito

Key Concepts

a. The Family as a Basic Unit

• Family is the foundation of society.
• A good society starts with strong families.
• Satan targets families to destroy society, the church, and the world.
• Russell Ballard: Family is also the basic unit of eternity.
• Freeman: Family influences individual development, determining success or failure.
• Each person has the capacity to choose despite their family's influence.

b. Definitions of the Family

• National Statistical Coordination Board (2008): A group of persons usually living together related by blood, marriage, or adoption.
• Sociologists: A social unit interacting with larger society, characterized by people living together due to birth, marriage, adoption, or choice (Alan, 2000).
• Freedman (2003): Two or more persons joined by bonds of sharing and emotional closeness.

Family in Community Health Nursing

a. Family as a Client

• Individual best understood within social context of family.
• Focus on family reaction to health issues.
• Action of any member can set off reactions within the group.

b. Family as a System

• Embedded in social systems that influence health.
• Interaction among family members is a target for nursing interventions.
• Park’s subsystems:
  • Parent-child
  • Marital
  • Sibling-sibling
• Members are both independent and dependent on each other.

Functions and Developmental Stages of Families

Functions

• Procreation: Meeting society's needs.
• Socialization of Family Members: Teaching values and norms.
• Status Placement: Assigning roles within society.
• Economic Function: Providing financial stability.

Developmental Stages (Duval)

1. Beginning Family: Formation of couple identity.
2. Parenting First Child: Integrating child into family unit.
3. Living with Adolescents: Increasing autonomy and career issues.
4. Launching Family: Establishing independent identities for children and parents.
5. Middle-aged Family: Adjusting relationships with in-laws and grandchildren.
6. Aging Family: Adapting to aging, loss, and maintaining functioning.

Family Health Tasks

1. Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: Learning healthy habits.
2. Recognizing Interruptions of Health: Identifying health issues.
3. Seeking Health Care: Consulting with health workers when needed.
4. Managing Health and Non-health Crises: Coping with crises and developing from experiences.
5. Providing Nursing Care: Teaching families to care for sick/disabled members.
6. Maintaining a Healthy Home Environment: Ensuring cleanliness and order.
7. Reciprocal Relationship with Community: Engaging in community events.

Characteristics of Healthy Families

• Members communicate and listen.
• Establish priorities and affirm/support each other.
• Empower members and teach societal values.
• Playfulness and enjoyment of each other’s company.
• Ability to cope with stress and crisis, seek professional help when needed.
• Foster responsibility and value service to others.