Calgary Family Assessment Model

Words: 1901
Pages: 8

Family nursing requires many different skills and abilities to be demonstrated by a nurse in order to provide safe competent care for a family unit. Nurses must be able to understand the different components of family nursing and be able to perform a thorough assessment to determine specific needs and interventions to maintain the family’s well-being. Family centered care is a major component in family nursing, as described by Kuo et al. (2012), family centered care is the optimal health care experienced by the whole family unit and is a partnership between the health care providers and families. While dealing with families and attaining an assessment it is important to incorporate this, especially when having to intervene with said family. …show more content…
However, not all subgroups in each category could be assessed, as it did not apply. The Calgary Family Assessment Model has been recognized as worldwide since 1984, it is composed of three major categories to help further assess a family: structural, developmental and functional (Wright and Leahey, 2013). During the structural component of the assessment the nurse is examining the internal, external and context of the family. While assessing ST and DT’s family structure (appendix A) it is obvious that family is a huge part of their lives. “A family is who they say they are” (Wright and Leahey, 2013) and ST and DT define their family from outside of just each other but include each of their parents, siblings, close friends, and pets. As a team (nurse and family) family genograms were made to show the relationships throughout different generations, including marriages, illness, and deaths (Appendix B). ST and DT have had a their fair share of deaths in their families, for instance ST’s brother and auntie died in 2008 from a car accident and cancer which brought on her depression. ST explained that when a death in the family occurred her depression would arise and wouldn’t disappear until medically managed. As for DT when asked about the structural aspects of his family he also mentioned that when he is having a bipolar …show more content…
In relation to this particular family two interventions were created to assist the family and promote well-being. The Calgary Family intervention Model is the framework used to create interventions that affect the domains of family functions such as, cognitive, affective and behavioral (Wright and Leahey, 2013). The first intervention that was implement was commending the family, and each individual’s strengths (Wright and Leahey, 2013). The reasoning for this intervention was to get the family to realize and be aware of how strong their love and loyalty to each other has allowed them to overcome many barriers in life. For instance, during the interview constant reminders and appraisal were given to the family about their love and devotion towards one another and how it was admirable. This intervention has proven its therapeutic effects both immediate and long- term (Moules & Johnstone,