The importance of family nursing practices was not recognized until late twentieth century when the need for family nursing became a burning issue for the system of health care. In this respect, the family became an integral part of the health care system because the family in whole was considered a client of the nursing practices as well as each separate member of the family under discussion. As such, it became apparent that the system of nursing needs reforms and reorganization that would meet the needs of families in health care.
For instance, as suggested by Friedman, Bowden, and Jones (2003), “the first family nursing is conceptualized as a field where the family is viewed as context to the client or family member” (p. 32). In other words, recognizing a family as an influential context to the client’s health and diseases, a nurse can take appropriate measures on the way to effective treatment. Moreover, health care professionals should approach the needs of family members with regard to the needs of the family.
Family works as a system in promoting the health of its members because every member is vulnerable to some infections while this condition can be influential t other members of the family. Besides, different demographic and socioeconomic factors can impact the health of the family with regard to the health of each member separately. The interdependence of family members on each other and their mutual dependence on different factors makes the family a separate client with its specific needs and expectations. In this respect, family can be viewed and treated as a sum of its members, as a client, or as a component of a society (Friedman, Bowden, and Jones, 2003, pp. 33-34).
The family nursing is based on recognition of the family’s needs when the peculiar features of each family member are clear and nursing staff can address the needs of each member effectively. As health care providers may be unaware of the peculiarities related to the health condition of other family members and different factors influencing each member, it is necessary to develop family nursing practices applying various family nursing theories aimed at explaining the relation between health conditions of different family members.
Family members are basic components in the assessment, analysis, and treatment of family and each member as a part of the family. As such, it is necessary to remember about the factors that can influence family members in such nursing practice environment as an Acute Care Hospital (Veterans Affairs) that provides veterans with adequate treatment with regard to their specific needs, especially if this concerns entire families.
As Friedman, Bowden, and Jones (2003) claim, “in episodic settings – especially in intensive care units and emergency departments, where immediate lifesaving measures are needed – a predominant patient focus is undesirable” (p. 36). This means that Acute Care Hospital is, in some way, is removed from the family nursing practices and issues, especially compared to other specialty areas which means that family nursing can be ineffective to the extent it is effective in other specialty areas or fail to accomplish the mission f family practice at all.
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