The purpose of the family assessment assignment is to have a forum for you to take all the skills presented in this course. There is a blend of effective communication, assessment skills, review of family-related theoretical framework, and interprofessional collaboration and communication.
You will find a family who is notrelated to you or a distant relative. It is ideal for you to work with a family you know and one who is willing to spend time for interviews and have a review of their family dynamics, how they work, and what goals for improvement as a family may be.
There are seven (7) components in the family assessment assignment.
- In Section A, you will summarize a family theory you have chosen from your previous theory paper and discuss how the theory will be used to assess your chosen family.
- In Section B, you will list basic family data using the genogram and ecomap.
- In Section C, you will assess details about the family’s culture, environment, and resources.
… In the next components, you will dig deeper into family health practices …
- considering general nutrition, recreation, health screening, and sleep (Section D).
- also assessing the family’s lifestyle practices (Section E).
- Section F requires you to complete a brief summary of the family data regarding strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
- Last, in Section G, based on the entire family data you have assessed,
- Suggest more than two (2) evidence-based family nursing interventions you believe would improve the health and function of the individuals and the family as a whole.
- Also, include discussions on howthese evidence-based practices you find could be supported by or related to the theoretical framework you discussed at the beginning.
The main text for the family assessment assignment should be no longer than 8 pages (excluding references, tables, and figures of genogram and ecomap) in the APA format (7th Edition).
This template is to be used as a guide for your family assessment. Please do NOT feel that you would need to address all the detailed example questions. Instead, please summarize your assessment for each of the folded subheading topics (A, B, C, …, and G) using some of the example questions to get the information you will need for your summary.
A. Theoretical framework (15%)
Previously, you were asked to pick a theoretical framework to apply to family nursing practice. Now you are asked to summarize the theory you have chosen, including how and why you are applying this theory to the family you are assessing.
B. Basic family data (10%)
- Family data – Include family members living in the household.
For example, husband/wife/partners, children and others that are living in the household. – If you would like to have a table of the family data, the table should be placed after the reference page(s), following the APA style, so excluded from your 8-page long text.
Below is an example table suggestion:
| Initials | Age | Sex | Position in the family | Occupation | Education |
| LM | 27 | M | Husband/Father | Cook | High School |
| SM |
- Extended family – Provide a brief discussion about extended family and how they impact the family you are assessing.
This could mean immediate family living in close proximity or those who are geographically separated and still have an important influence on the family. In addition, some families have very close friends whom they consider ‘family’ who can have an effect on the family.
- Genogram and ecomap – Create a family genogram and an ecomap.
As a guide use Chapter 5 found in your textbook. The genogram needs to include details of the family for 3 generations. Please include a legend of the symbols you use. This genogram and the ecomap are excluded from the 8-page limit required for part 1 of the paper; they will be placed after the reference page(s), following the APA style.
C. Culture, environment, and resources (10%)
- Ethnicity and cultural affiliation for the family
Example questions for your assessment can be…
– What is the ethic and/or culture group?
– What role does this play in the family dynamic, if any?
– Does the family practice rituals specific to their group that ‘defines’ them as a family or individuals?…
- Religious affiliation
– Does the family have a religious affiliation?
– More than one religion practiced in the household?
– Is religion a big part of the family dynamic?
– What part does it play for the family unit?…
- Community
– Briefly describe the community where the family resides (note characteristics of housing, socioeconomic status and community services available such as parks, recreation centers and pools)
– If available, crime data, school statistics, any data that may quantitatively describe their community.
– Are strengths or weaknesses in the community environment that may impact the family?
- Family Dwelling
– Describe the family home (type of dwelling, size, facility, safety, length of stay).
– Are there any significant housing-related problems that may affect family functioning?
- Use of community resources
– What community services are used by family members? These can be county, city, state or federal services. For example, a handicapped member may use the para-transit system in Las Vegas. Or a family member may use after-school care for young children at the community activity center.
– What do you believe would be valuable community resources for this family? Please list at least two community resources which could be used by a member of the family and provide the details for how and why they could be accessed.
D. Family health practices (10%)
- Nutrition
– Describe the family’s nutritional status, in general
– Is there over or under nutrition of any family members? Does this affect the ADLs of any or all of the family members?
- Recreation
– Does the family have regular recreation or exercise activities? If so, what?
– Who in the family participates?
– What activities does the family like to do together as a unit? How often do they do this all together? (For example, going to the park, riding bikes, playing a game, watching a TV show or movie, or taking a walk. It can be anything.)
- Health Screening, preventative services and use of medical services
– Does the family have routine health screening? If so, which member and what kind of screening.
– Does the family have routine dental screening and cleaning? Frequency?
– Does the family know what preventative screening is and its importance?
– Does the family have a regular family doctor?
– Which member of the family makes the health care decisions? (For example, who decides a child is ill to take to the provider for care?)
- Sleep
– Describe family sleeping patterns, in general
– Are there sleep problems with any members of the family?
– Do any members work a shift that may alter sleeping patterns for the family? If so, how does this affect the family patterns?
E. Family life-style (10%)
- Relationships, communication and decision making
– What are their communication patterns? Do they yell, talk quietly or how do they communicate?
– What are the observed communication relationships between members? For example, husband/wife, father/child(ren), mother/child(ren), etc.
– Nonverbal communication. Can you note positive and negative patterns during your time with the family?
–How do members express emotion/affection, love and anger? Did you observe members communicating their feelings to one another? Is the communication healthy and uplifting or negative and damaging self-esteem?
– Decision making. Were you able to observe any decision making in this family?
– Who has the ‘final word’ in the family hierarchy?
- Crisis management
– How does the family respond to crisis situations?
– Do you have one example in the last 12 months of a crisis for the family and how they resolved this crisis? (This can be a good time to allow the family to “tell” their story and listen attentively without asking numerous questions. Listen carefully to the rich detail they may provide.)
- Health care values and attitudes
– Describe the family’s attitude toward health care and health care providers.
– What are they expectations of health care providers, in general?
– How do these attitudes affect the health and wellbeing of the family? (Do they forgo “regular” medical care based on attitudes and values?)
F. Summary of assessment data (15%)
Please summarize and discuss the family’s assessment data focusing on the major findings. Add a table of the family’s strengths, weakness, and areas that need improvement. You should differentiate individuals’ (family members) and the whole family when identifying strengths, weaknesses, and areas of improvement.
This summary table is excluded from the 8-page limit required for the paper; the table will be placed after the reference page(s), following the APA style.
Chart example: (please use if you like or make you own)
| Family Member | Strengths | Weaknesses | Areas of improvement |
| Entire Family as Whole | |||
| Member 1 | |||
| Member 2 | |||
| Member 3, etc. |
G. Planning and promoting family health (20%)
- Evidence-based practices to increase family health and well being
Please suggest more than 2 areas of evidence-based family nursing interventions you believe would be improvement of health and function for the individuals or family as a whole. What evidence-based practices could promote this family health and improve its function? Your intervention should be based on best practices utilized by nurse practitioners with families and patients. In addition, please try to discuss how these evidence-based practices you chose would be supported by the theoretical framework you discussed at the beginning.
References are required.
