Nursing: Family Assessment Case Study
What components of the Friedman Family Assessment would you complete on your first visit with this family? Explain your rationale.
The first component would be to identify the family type. This is an extended family structure consisting of Jill 15, Mom 33; Mom’s boyfriend 40; two step brothers’ ages 11 and 12, younger sister is 2 years old (Minnesota Department of Health, 2006). Subsequently, the next step would be to begin an evaluation of the family.
These pertain to risk factors of each person in the household and they include assessment of stressful situations, dysfunctional behaviors, biological disturbances, cultural and ethical background, religion; social class status, family recreational or leisure-time activities.
Precisely, the rational for such an approach is to facilitate the evaluation process by applying scientific strategies derived from Friedman Family Assessment model. Also, it would assist the nurse in organizing data in a more comprehensive format for interpretation.
b) What stage of family development (life-cycle stage) is this family? Explain your rationale.
Speculations are even when it has been the assumption that extended family unions tend to be more binding in this case it is loose since. Weakness in the head of household house supervision of younger minor members is sadly lacking. The combination of adolescent and young children deserves more responsibility from Mom and Dad as providers to instill values and offer direction for these younger ones. It would appear that they need some counseling themselves.
c) Based on the Sittner article, how would you use the concept of family strengths to enhance your nursing care in this situation? Explain.
As was demonstrated in this article the family strength is expressed through Jill who takes responsibility as head of the house hold at a very young teenage age. Obviously, roles are either reversed or inappropriately enacted at some stage by the one expected to perform the task of mother.
With Jill demonstrating her skills as a responsible woman even though pregnant at 15, creates an avenue for the nurse to educate on improving those skills for the household as well as for her unborn child. The duties she performs with excellence are highlighted and those for which she are less capable measures will be adopted to improve them gradually. Meanwhile Jill’s removes herself from this position and allows this child to undertake the responsibility.
Sociologically, this family would be classified dysfunctional or merely abnormal functioning structure. The scenario of mom being in bed sleeping most of the time and her boy friend offering little or no financial support puts each member at risk especially, vulnerable younger members of the house hold.
Should, Jill allow the pregnancy to go to term and keep the infant, it will be an added responsibility for her as well as the family structure. Other elements of the family structure needing attention is Jill’s mom' depression. In this case the nurse can advise them to see a mental health doctor to help her deal with her depression and subsequently write up a referral if they consent to seeing one.
Reference
Minnesota Department of Health, Office of Public Health Practice. (2006). Wheel of Public
Health Interventions: A collection of "Getting behind the wheel" stories 2002-2006.
Retrieved ( June 25, 2008) from:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/cfh/ophp/resources/docs/wheelbook2006.pdf
Stanhope Marcia, Jeanette Lancaster (2003) Community and Public Health Nursing. New York:
Elsevier Press
