Family Health Assessment Paper Nursing Example [+Outline]

The purpose of a Family Health Assessment Paper is to provide a detailed account of the nursing process and how it was applied in the clinical area in order to promote best practice.

Family Health Nursing Assessment Paper Example

Family Health Assessment

Understanding family health background is crucial for patient- and family-centered healthcare. A clinical interview is the most effective mechanism of acquiring such information. Slade & Sergent (2020) argue that interviews are a key element for gathering information on a one-on-one basis from patients and their families in a clinical setting. Marjory Gordon devised a method for obtaining comprehensive nursing of a patient. Gordon’s functional health patterns approach includes eleven main parameters that include a summary of an individual’s health history and the health habits a patient has taken to achieve their current health and wellbeing. The essay conducts a focused functional assessment (Family Health Assessment Paper) on an identified family to determine its health patterns using a developed interview questionnaire.

Describe the family structure. Include individuals and any relevant attributes defining the family composition, race/ethnicity, social class, spirituality, and environment.

The patient’s family consists of eight people of white descent. The patient is 45 years old, and the wife is 42 years old. There are four children, two sons, and twin daughters. The sons are age 20 and 19, while the twin daughters are aged 14. The grandfather is aged 75, while the grandmother is aged 71. The other family members live in an ancestral ranch in Utah County, a typical affluent back group. The family follows the Christian faith and attends Sunday serves with the Utah Valley Church. The patient and the wife are both teachers at a local junior school in Utah. The sons are in college at Alliant International University, while the daughters attend the 12^th grade in the same school. The family visits their grandparents and their neighbors regularly.

Here’s how to conduct a community assessment windshield survey and the framework of a community windshield survey example.

Summarize the overall health behaviors of the family. Describe the current health of the family.

According to the National Health, Lungs, and Blood Institute, the family assessment revealed that the family maintains a proper nutritional diet – three meals a day (NHLBI, n.d.). The family consumes healthy and whole meals. However, the children occasionally eat fast and fatty foods while in schools or out in the town. Besides, the family often engages in morning and evening runs, mostly on the weekends.  

Furthermore, the family assessment revealed that the family experiences significant health challenges. The patient has diabetes, while the wife is well and healthy. The older son has diabetes managed through medication.  The youngest daughter suffered a skin infection and has asthma, managed through medication. The grandparents are receiving home-based care due to old age and chronic ailments. The grandfather has Alzheimer’s and arthritis, while the grandmother suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and prediabetes.  

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.

The crucial functional health patterns noted in the family include effective exercise and physical activity, and nutritional intake. The family engages in exercise and physical activities such as morning and evening walks and run as a precursor against sedentary health issues (Wu et al., 2017; Saunders et al., 2020). The grandparents are given massage twice a week by their home-based caregiver. The sons are passionate about soccer and play at the community center every Saturday whenever they are home. The daughters also engage in netball games in their schools. In terms of nutrition, the grandparents have a nutritional meal plan by the family nurse. On the other hand, the patient and wife have a nutritional plan that they share with their children. This includes low-fat dairy, fruits and vegetables, lean meat, whole grains, and fat-free products (NHLBI, n.d.).

Here’s another example of a Community Health Assessment Paper Example [+Outline]

The grandparents in the family suffer from old age and are constantly cared for by the family nurse. The ailments include joint pains, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and arthritis. Moreover, the patient and the wife previously suffered from depression and anxiety following their parent’s illness. The depression and anxiety were managed through medication and group therapy. Health issues are noted in the youngest daughter having suffered skin disease and asthma,

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.

According to the family systems theory, a family is an emotional entity with dynamic interactions (Erdem & Safi, 2018). For example, Bowen’s theoretical concept of siblings positioning posits that people growing together tend to have common characteristics (Erdem & Safi, 2018). For instance, the elder siblings of this family have a passion for soccer and enjoy engaging in soccer-related activities every Saturday, either at the community or campus playground. Equally, the daughters have a passion for netball and enjoy playing the game at school. The reason behind this eventual difference in preferential sports contributes to the family’s physical activity; thus, the associated health benefits.

Furthermore, Bowen’s theory of emotional cut-off explains how individuals overcome emotional problems by eliminating or shutting off emotional interactions (Erdem & Safi, 2018). This concept can manifest in this family, leading to separation and consequential crippling of family functions. For instance, differences between the family members, including parents and siblings, can lead to separation to solve the conflict. As a result, the typical family ties and functions are affected.

Conclusion

The assessment interview reveals that the family’s identity, relationships, and overall health behavior are effective. Besides, the assessment reveals the family’s effective health patterns, including appropriate physical activities, nutritional, cognitive, and emotional health. Lastly, the family has appropriate role relationships and coping strategies for health problems. In sum, the assessment reveals the family’s common health themes, including active lifestyle and chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

How to write a nursing assessment paper

A community assessment paper is a written account of a nurse’s evaluation of a patient’s condition. It is an important part of the nurse’s job to document the patient’s condition and response to treatment in a clear and concise manner.

The nursing assessment paper is one of the most important tools that nurses use to evaluate patients. It provides a complete picture of the patient’s health and can help nurses identify potential problems and plan for treatment.

The nursing assessment paper should include the following sections:

1) Patient Demographics: This section includes the patient’s age, gender, race, and chief complaint.

2) Patient History: This section includes the patient’s past medical history, medications, allergies, and surgical history.

3) Physical Examination: This section documents the nurse’s findings during the physical examination of the patient.

4) Assessment and Nursing Diagnosis: In this section, the nurse makes an overall assessment of the patient’s condition and formulates a nursing diagnosis.

5) Treatment Plan: This section outlines the plan of care for the patient. It includes goals and objectives for the nursing care plan.

6) Evaluation: This final section documents the patient’s response to treatment and any changes in condition.

Nursing Windshield Survey Community Assessment

The nursing assessment is an important part of the nursing process.

It is the first step in providing care to a patient.

The nursing assessment includes taking a patient’s history, performing a physical examination, and assessing the patient’s mental status. Here are examples of nursing assessment papers and Windshield Survey Nursing Examples [Windshield survey pdf]

The information gathered during the nursing assessment is used to develop a plan of care for the patient.

Family Health Assessment Paper nursing instructions

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.

More on Functional Health Pattern Community Assessment.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion. 

Read Further on Benchmark Patient’s Spiritual Needs: Case Analysis

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