Family Health Assessment Part I GCU NRS-429VN

Family Health Assessment Part I GCU NRS-429VN

Performing a family health assessment is a way that nurses can interact with the family.  Obtaining knowledge about one’s family structure, how they function, and the way they process situations, and perform task will inform the nurse on how they can optimize a nursing care educational plan to in cooperate in their family structure and can provide individualized nursing care plans that will be unique to their family system. According to (Kaakinen, 2018).

I have chosen a family that is very dear to me, but that has endured great tragedy recently and other medical and mental health problems. I thought this would be a great family to conduct this interview. In this family there are four members that consist of three teenagers that include a 15-year-old boy, girl A who is 19, Girl B who is 17, a mother and a recently deceased father Family Health Assessment Part I GCU NRS-429VN.

They all work well in supporting each other, especially with the recent loss of their father. The current health of the family is not the best due to their circumstances, they all know this though and are willing and taking appropriate steps to achieve a healthy outcome. Some of the areas they could improve would be the nutritional, exercise, and following medication orders provided by the doctor.

The Family states that their health is important to them especially since the untimely death of the kids’ father was due to a massive heart attack at age 34 who was extremely overweight. The eldest daughter has recently gained a substantial amount of weight and is not making the best decisions on what she eats states the mother. The son is extremely active and plays basketball and football, he states that he works out regularly during the week at school Family Health Assessment Part I GCU NRS-429VN.

Nutrition

The mother said that during the week it is hard for them to eat at home all together due to everyone’s busy schedules, school activities, and work. She said that when they are all home on the weekends though that they do eat at home and a well-balanced meal. However, the eldest daughter has been eating a lot of sweets and carbs said she is worried that the loss of her father is making her depressed, and she has been eating a lot due to that.

Sleep/rest

All the family members stated that they do not get enough sleep and do not feel very rested in the mornings, the son stated that he comes home every day from school and lays down till around 7 or 8pm. The middle daughter takes melatonin to assist in falling asleep, and mother states she is only getting about four hours of sleep at night, she lies awake every night and worries about her kids in this difficult time and stresses out over her financial situation. (Radek, 2021) states that the recommended amount of sleep is 7-8 hours of sleep.

The Cell, Inflammation, Repair, Regeneration, and Fibrosis discussion essays

Elimination

All family members stated they do not have any problems with their bowels or bladder except mother, she stated she has a large kidney stone, but she cannot have surgery due to Covid right now and that the hospital will only do emergency surgeries at this time. According to (Ferraro, 2020) it is recommended to increase fluid intake, and maintain a healthy well-balanced diet with reducing intake of sodium and animal proteins, and to also increase fiber intake Family Health Assessment Part I GCU NRS-429VN.

Activity and exercise

Except for the son, the family states that they do not have a regular exercise routine and the eldest daughter cannot exercise due to a foot injury she had a few years ago that she is still suffering from. However, they do stay active and are always on the go.

Cognitive

The mother reports all the children are doing well in school and the son is in all honors classes and making all A’s, the eldest daughter just started college and the middle daughter is doing well also, they also all hold down a job with no issues.

Sensory/ perception

All members of the family report they do not wear glasses or contacts, they are up to date on their eye exams and deny any hearing problems.

Self-perception

When asked about this all members stated they are very depressed, and life is not very enjoyable at this moment however they do know that it will get better they are just dealing with a hard time in life right now. I deny any feelings of self-harm and are all currently in counseling to help grieve their loss.

Role relationship

The mother is the head of household but states the oldest daughter helps a lot as well, she assists in taking the other kids to and from school and anywhere else they need to go while the mother is working and helps a lot with housework Family Health Assessment Part I GCU NRS-429VN.

Sexuality

The kids are not in relationships and deny having any sexual partners. The mother States that she has zero sex drive since her hysterectomy two years ago. She states that she tried the hormones, but she could not stand the way that they made her feel, so she stopped taking them and now suffers from vaginal dryness and painful sex. She states that she knows that she needs to see the doctor and inquire about trying a different kind of medication.

Coping

This family has had a recent tragedy and all state that they are doing the best they can to just get by. The kids are in counseling, and mother states she thinks it is slowly helping. The mother states that she just deals by not thinking about it, which then immediately stated she knew that was not the healthy thing to do.

 

Family focused questions and answers

Values/ Health perception

1. How do you view your overall health as a family? Mother states “I think we have our

moments where a kid will get sick here or there but overall, I feel like we’re a pretty normal and healthy family”

2. Have you had any major surgeries, or does anyone have any chronic illness?

“I had several surgeries on my foot after I stepped on a big piece of glass in the lake three years ago, I went to the hospital and they did not clean it, and just stitched it up. They didn’t even give me any antibiotics. I ended up being care flighted to a children’s hospital where I had to have several more surgeries to save my foot.” Says daughter 1

3. Do any of you smoke or drink on a regular basis?

“They better not” laughs mom, then adds “I vape”

Nutrition

1. Would you all say of your eating habits are healthy? “I don’t know about healthy, but I also wouldn’t say it was the best” says Mom
2. Do you all drink enough water throughout the day? Son states “That is all I drink, I don’t drink anything else, well except tea occasionally.” All others state they drink plenty of water.
3. Do you eat more home cooked meals or eat out for the most part? “Honestly, we eat out a lot, like a lot. We are all so busy with school, sports, and work during the week that we mostly just grab something on our own.” Says mom

Sleep/ Rest

1. How many hours on average do you think you all get a night? “Anywhere from 3-8 hours depending on the day.
2. Do any of you take any medications to assist with falling asleep? Girl 2 started taking melatonin recently after the death of her father.
3. Do you feel rested in the mornings? They all agree they do Family Health Assessment Part I GCU NRS-429VN.

Elimination

1. Do you all have regular bowel movements? All 3 girls respond together while laughing saying that the son “has no problem at all going.” Then say they are regular as well.
2. Do you have any problems urinating? “I have a large kidney stone that makes it difficult sometimes” states mom.
3. Any complaints of constipation? They all deny

Activity/ Exercise

1. Do you exercise regular? “No”, says mom, well son 1 “does because he is in athletics, and they have to go to weight room every day.” She added
2. Are there any barriers that would prevent any of you to exercise? “My foot shoots pain if I lift heavy things.” States daughter 1, mom says “No, just time and motivation.”
3. Would you say you are all active throughout the day? “Yes.” reply all Family Health Assessment Part I GCU NRS-429VN

Cognitive

1. How are your grades in school, do you feel like you are able to understand and comprehend when the teacher is teaching? “Yes” state the kids.
2. While at work do any of you have any problems completing task? They all deny any issues
3. Do any of you have any problems focusing or remembering things? Mom says “I am so forgetful, but I think it’s just because I have so much going on, and things I have to remember. Kids deny any problems

Sensory perception

1. Do any of you wear glass or contacts? No
2. Do any of you wear hearing aids? No
3. Have you all had your vision and hearing test done recently? “We just had ours all done actually” says mom

Self- perception

1. Do any of you struggle with feeling depressed? Yes, they all answer and all 4 tear up, these sweet kids lost their dad very unexpectedly recently and they are all struggling with coping with it. Daughter one states “everyday” while the others nod yes.
2. Do you ever have any thoughts of self- harm? “No” they all say
3. Are any of you on any anti-depressants? “I am” says daughter 2. She was a daddy’s girl, and as a close friend of the family I know how bad she is struggling with this sudden loss.

Role relationship

Mom is the head of the house, but the oldest daughter helps with taking the other kids to school, and to and from work.

Sexuality

I asked this question to mom in private and she told me that she has “zero desire” she explained that she had to have a hysterectomy at age 35 so 2 years ago and she has not taken her hormone pills. Kids deny being intimate with anyone.

Coping

“All 3 kids just started counseling” says mom,” they are all dealing with this loss in their own way and that she cannot stand that she cannot take their pain away. She also adds that daughter 2 with just start whaling and crying uncontrollably and mom states “it is the hardest thing we have ever had to handle and so I knew I had to get them in to see someone.” Family Health Assessment Part I GCU NRS-429VN

References

Ferraro, P. M. (2020, March 15). Risk of kidney stones: Influence of dietary factors, dietary patterns, and vegetarian–vegan diets. MDPI. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/3/779

Kaakinen, J. (2018). Family health care nursing. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=wNFJDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR1&dq=family+health+assessment+nursing&ots=29hQpo5to6&sig=48onmdHtUQpNQCDCjyIA912xGrQ#v=onepage&q=family%20health%20assessment%20nursing&f=false

Radek, K. (2021, June 3). An overview of worldwide sleep disturbance | Highlights on medicine and medical science Vol. 3. Book Publisher International. https://stm.bookpi.org/HMMS-V3/article/view/1609