Child and Family Nursing (Essay Sample)

Child and Family Nursing
Name
Course
Instructor
Date
Child and Family Nursing
How Family Assessment Differs from an Individual Assessment and the Importance of Assessing the Family Unit
Family assessment is defined as the process of gathering, identifying, and weighing given information to be in a better position to comprehend the major factors that affect the safety and well-being of a child as well as the aptitude of a family to guarantee the safety to their child. In addition, it is broader and aims at exploring questions regarding the child’s parents, any disruptions in the family unit, and the medical history of the family members (Goldman, Hain & Liben, 2012). On the other hand, individual assessment is a process in which a child’s individual growth and needs are examined, including his medical history, emotional and psychological status, any current problems he might be undergoing, his resilience and coping strategies, and ways in which he can be helped (Lindon, 2003).
A comprehensive assessment of the family unit is imperative in making rational decisions as well as weighing some of the factors that affect children and their families. In this case, various factors including the safety of the child, the dangers of future maltreatment, the capacity of the parent to protect them, and the general well-being of the child must be assessed continuously. Scholars argue that the assessment process is imperative as it offers a foundation for assisting the society, mostly in cases where families are presented with challenges, when there are obvious safety concerns for a child, and when reviewing the effectiveness of family assessment services (Nixon, 2011; Dwyer, Nicholson & Battistutta, 2003).
There is a range of affirmative outcomes that come with assessing the family unit. One of the most significant one is the fact that family assessment helps in reducing risks at the family level, hence reducing issues related to child protection and welfare. In addition, assessing the family unit is paramount in ensuring strong engagement among the family members, as well as in identifying the needs of those families that have complex and multiple needs. This means that both the practitioners as well as the family members are more aware of the needs and are ready to support each other. Finally, the assessment process helps medical practitioners to develop close and strong relationships with the family members, facilitate trust and engagement, and guarantee a more accurate assessment of the child as well as the needs of the family (Geert & Lichtwarck-Aschoff, 2005).
Family Assessment Tool, Its Strengths and Limitations in Relation to the Kuhn Family: Option 3
A genogram is a tool used in tracking family relationships and history, as well as offering a detailed visual display of a given family (Tanyi, 2006). Bomar (2004) asserts that it is an important tool in mapping family patterns, as well as the psychological factors that might disrupt relationships.
One of the main advantages of using a genogram is that it offers an effective overview, which allows practitioners that are not familiar with a given family to attain more information within a short period of time. This means that a clinician is able to scan for potential challenges and come up with solutions on time (Rempel, Neufeld & Kushner, 2007). In addition, it helps in understanding the family context, tracing a particular behaviour, and identifying issues and patterns within a given family. For instance, in the Kuhn family, almost all the family members have personal problems, hence might not be in a position to help Tamara in overcoming her obsession about remaining underweight. As another example, Tamara’s mother, Brenda, has a drinking problem and shows symptoms of depression. In order to get a closer look at the family unit, a genogram will be used to trace the reason why Brenda is depressed and often drinks. For instance, she separated with her previous husband, Martin, who has since remarried, and her son, George, whom they hardly communicate with, is gay. Aside from that, she has no close friends; and though her parents are aged, she never gets to see them as often as she would like to because of her strained relationship with Stephen. Therefore, it is possible that with such a background, Brenda would not have enough time to advise her daughter on the right diet and ways she can eat healthy foods and still avoid being obese. This means that the tool will be used in assessing Tamara’s family problems, their needs, their medical history, and any worries and concerns that she might have that have triggered her obsession to remain underweight (Chavis, 2004).
The genogram will also be used in building a rapport and exploring Tamara’s background, her values, and the attitudes that she has acquired over a long period of time. Some of the issues that might need to be explored on are how values as well as beliefs have been passed on, how the family members support each other, ways in which they handle disputes, how important the family is to them, and her relationship with her parents as well as the extended families. Subsequently, the genogram will help in noting any patterns that might reoccur, such as those of alcohol and illness (Queensland Government, n.d).
The use of genograms in Tamara’s case will also be important in detecting patterns of hereditary diseases such as cancer and showing how the immediate family can enhance its relationship. This means that the visual representation will help Brenda and Stephen understand patterns that they might have never noticed before (Olsen, Dudley-Brown & McMullen, 2004).
Although genograms have their share of advantages, they also have their limitations. This is because they can only show the last few generations of a certain family. For instance, in Tamara’s case, the tool can only go as far back as the history of her grandparents. This means that with a limited scope, it is highly likely to miss important patterns. In addition, the accuracy of the tool is dependent on the memory of the person who develops it. In this cas...