Family Assessment – Health of the children has been considered as the vital importance to all societies because children are the basic resource for the future of humankind. Nursing care of children is concerned for both the health of the children and for the illnesses that affect their growth and development. The increasing complexity of medical and nursing science has created a need for special area of child care, i.e. pediatric nursing.
Pediatric nursing is the specialized area of nursing practice concerning the care of children during wellness and illness. It includes preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative care of children. It emphasizes on all round development of body, mind and spirit of the growing individual. Thus, pediatric nursing involves in giving assistance, care and support to the growing and developing children to achieve their individual potential for functioning with fullest capacity.
Family Assessment
Definition of Family Assessment:
Family Assessment is a central part of public health and community, health, nursing practice. These tools will serve as cues to assist the nurse in making key observations about how families live, work and play together.
(Ref: June D. Thompson/2nd/154)
Important Component of Family Assessment:
The important components of the family assessment are –
1. Family structure.
2. Family function.
A. Family structure; It refers to the composition of the family who live in the home and those social, cultural, religious and economic characteristics that influence the child’s and family’s overall psychological health.
The principle areas of concerns include –
- Family composition.
- Home and community environment.
- Occupation and education of family members
- Cultural and religious traditions
B. Family function; It is concern with how the family members behave toward one another and the quality of the relationship. The functions of family are –
- Physical: The family provides a safe, comfortable environment necessary for growth, development and rest of recuperation.
- Economic: Family provides financial and to family members and also helps meet monetary needs of society.
- Reproduction: The reproductive function of the family is raising children.
- Affective and coping: It involves providing emotional comfort to family members.
- Socialization: The family teaches, transmit beliefs, values, attitudes etc.
The Following Guidelines Provide Information On Family Functioning:
1. Health perception-health management pattern.
2. Nutritional-metabolic pattern.
3. Elimination pattern.
4. Activity-exercise pattern.
5. Sleep-rest Pattern.
6. Cognitive-perceptual pattern.
7. Self-perception-self-concept pattern.
8. Roles-relationship Pattern.
9. Sexuality-reproductive pattern.
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