Essay on Family Health Nursing

Words: 1232
Pages: 5

This paper will discuss the importance of the family health nursing for today’s nurses. It will also discuss the importance of understanding the history of the family and how it has changed and evolved. The paper will explore the concept of what constitutes a family today and will include a personal view of family health nursing.
Family as an important focus for nurses
In the ever-changing world of technology in the healthcare setting, it is important not to overlook the family as a very important part of caring for the patient. (Farvis, 2002 p.1) The family is an extension of the patient and one is dependent on the other members for providing emotional and physical support. “The family is the most important element in achieving and
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(Smith, 2002 p.1) Today’s family can consist of the traditional members to stepparents, single parents, same gender parents and also grandparents as well as friends. Within the family, the structure has evolved from the traditional nuclear family to a variety of combinations. Today, married families have a different structure with parents who both have careers, to stay at home parents or commuter parents and grandparents raising grandchildren. Single parent families could be those who have never married, are divorced, or are widowed. Extended families could include a parent or grandparent living with the family as well. Religious and cultural issues also must be considered when defining a family. In most cultures, the family is seen as the basic social unit, with members having rights and obligations to each other. In some cultures, the whole family deals with an individual’s illness. (Farvis, 2002 p.2) A nurse must be able to deal with patients and their families from different cultures from around the world and different languages. Many cultures have come to the United States and have not learned the English language making caring for these families a challenge.
Personal definition of family health nursing My personal definition of family health nursing is that nurses need to include and accept the family as part of the patient. Family nursing is critical to the healthy outcome of a patient and family. The family is a major influence on