This family health assessment was conducted on the family of the Browns based upon the Gordon’s functional health patterns. The family is composed of three adults, the father Christopher Brown, the mother Mary Brown and their eldest son Martin. There are also two minors, Chris and Paul.
The thesis of this paper is predicated on the fact that the general activity, interaction, perception and actual wellbeing of a person are determined by various factors touching on various facets and areas of their daily lives.
Values, Health Perception
The family appears awake to health-conscious living and its benefit to the health of the individual. Members of the family had an idea as to what practices in their daily lives may have a detrimental effect on their lives including smoking by Mr. Brown and Martin and a preference for fast foods by Mrs. Brown and the two minor children.
They however deem their general health to be in good condition. This is based on the fact that there are few recurrent infections in the family, with the exception of the occasional cold attributed to the cold weather in the area. This is however based on symptomatic manifestations of illness and not any regular medical testing.
Overall, the wellness diagnosis in this regard indicates a family that understands the need for a proper and healthy lifestyle, and how to achieve it. Their health maintenance, regardless of the occasional fast foods, is an effective one (Weber, 2005).
Nutrition
The family pointed out that they were familiar with all the nutritional categories of foods and also that they fully understood the importance of the inclusion of all these categories in their daily eating habits. However, they admitted that not all categories were included in their daily eating and that some categories such as starch and carbohydrates appeared more often than the other categories.
The family, and in particular Mrs. Brown and the two minor children, acknowledged the indulgence in fast foods as well as foods high in processed sugars. They however also acknowledged the potential danger of these foods to their general health.
The wellness diagnosis in this regard, is one that though not optimal, is not entirely ineffective and which can easily be improved, given the knowledge and understanding possessed by the family regarding nutrition (College for Licensed Practicing Nurses, 2010).
Sleep and Rest
All members of the family got at least seven hours of sleep each night, with the minors getting more sleep due to an early bedtime while Mr. Brown gets the least sleep by reason of what he terms as ‘preferring a late night’. Overall however, the sleeping patterns of the family are consistent as the kids have a fixed bedtime and wake up time. There does not seem to be any notable interruptions in these sleep patterns. The only interruptions are the occasional evening out or working and doing assignments on the part of Mr. and Mrs. Brown as well as their eldest son.
The wellness diagnosis in regard is one that indicates that the family is under a conducive environment and has established a consistent pattern to ensure and allow for proper sleep and rest (Kosher, 2005).
Elimination
None of the family members complained of either infrequent bowel movement or any problem with urination. They all described their urine as clear and fecal matter as being solid and consistent rather than watery. The only family member who indicated perspiring more than the other family members is Martin. This can however be attributed to his active lifestyle of skateboarding and cannot immediately be linked to any underlying causes.
The wellness diagnosis in this regard is one that indicates conduciveness of bowel movement as well as urine elimination and perspiration with no inhibiting or interfering factors (Weber, 2005).
Activity/Exercise
The younger members have a more active lifestyle and exercise regularity than their parents. This is because they are involved in sports at school; the two minors are in the basketball team while Martin is a skateboarder. The parents due to heavy work schedules do not engage in as much physical activity due to what they term exhaustion at work. They however take walks twice a week.
The general outlook and wellness diagnosis in this regard is one that indicates a conduciveness and readiness for increased cardiac output as well as breathing patterns for the children who are more active. This is however the opposite case for the parents who are less active (Kosher, 2009).
Cognitive
None of the members experiences any impairment with understanding or confusion or disorientation. However, Mrs. Brown has indicated a feeling of some disorientation when she has had a particularly long day at work which is indicative of exhaustion and not cognitive defect. The memory retention ability of the family members appears to be in order, except for Mrs. Brown, who says she occasionally forgets where she puts some items, a factor she attributes to a busy work schedule.
The wellness diagnosis in this regard indicates a conduciveness and ability to improve the cognition among the family members (Weber, 2005).
Sensory Perception
Sensory perception in the family indicates the proper functioning of all sensory faculties including hearing, sight, taste and smell. There is no indication of any impairment to the sensory perceptions of any members of the family.
The wellness diagnosis in this regard is that there will be improved sensory participation for the children (Weber, 2005). However, this will reduce with regard to the parents due to their age, both being in their late fifties.
Self-Perception
The attitudes of the family members towards themselves are one of confidence in their health and general body conditions. None of them views themselves as being overweight or unhealthy. None of the family members rated themselves as chronically irritable, except Mrs. Brown who occasionally becomes irritable after a long day. All the family members, in their view, are appreciated within the family as important and valuable within the family.
The situation within the family and how the family members perceive themselves indicates ability for a more positive self perception. This is based on the fact that they have a positive outlook to themselves (Kosher, 2009).
Role Relationships
The members of the family, with no exception, view the interaction within the family as congenial and close and one that is based on trust, mutual respect and support. The members of the family however admit that there are moments of strained relationships in their interactions within the family which is however mostly intermittent.
The family members have their own individual support systems, people whom they rely on socially for emotional support. They all indicated to have close friends upon whom they depend as well as members of the extended family whom they feel closest to.
The wellness diagnosis for the family with regard to this factor is one that indicates conduciveness for interpersonal relationships as well as parental care except with the minor friction between Mrs. Brown and Martin, a factor which also indicates readiness for resolution (Weber, 2005).
Sexuality
For the adult members of the family, Martin indicated that his sexual interactions were satisfactory and didn’t face any challenges. Mr. and Mrs. Brown indicated that while their sexual interactions were satisfactory, the incidences of these interactions were becoming fewer. They attributed this factor to their busy schedules which leaves them drained and unable to regularly interact in sexual interactions. Other than this none of them indicated any major issues regarding their sexuality. Further, neither of the family members indicated any problems connected with their reproductive system.
This particular scenario in the family indicates ability for enhanced sexual interaction with regards to Martin. For Mr. and Mrs. Brown on the other hand, there is an indication of potential decreased sexual interaction arising from work pressure as well as age (College for Licensed Practicing Nurses, 2005).
Coping
The members of the family all indicate to be undergoing various levels of stress in their lives. The most notable among them is Mr. Brown who in the past year got a promotion to department head at his workplace which has increased his levels of stress. The other family members, though experiencing intermittent stress, view these levels as normal. To cope, the members of the family indicated a relaxing evening and weekend as well as spending time with friends and family as being sufficient in dealing with this stress. The stress felt by Mr. Brown he deals with by having a glass of whiskey in the evenings, a fact he says helps him in coping with the increased stress faced at work.
The wellness diagnosis of the family’s ability to cope is one that is positive. This is based on the close knit nature of the family as well as coping mechanisms external of the nuclear family, including the extended family as well as friends (College for Licensed Practicing Nurses, 2010).
References
College for Licensed Practicing Nurses. (2010). Patient Assessment. Web.
Kosher, J. (2009). Nursing Diagnosis Arranged by Gordon’s Health Patters. Web.
Weber, J. (2005). Nursing Diagnoses (Wellness, Risk and Actual) Grouped According to Health Patterns. Nurses Handbook for Health Assessment 5th Edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
Assessment Questions
Values, Health Perception
- What actions do you take that you think may be most detrimental to your health
- What are the Most Common illnesses you have gotten the past one year and what do you perceive to be their causes
- How do you perceive your general health situation to be
Nutrition
- How do you perceive nutritional categories of foods and their benefits?
- How often are all these categories included in your daily meals?
- Any nutritional habits you have that you deem as detrimental?
Sleep and rest
- How long do you sleep every day?
- How are your sleeping patterns?
- How would you describe your sleep?
Elimination
- How often do you have bowel movements and urination?
- How would you describe your perspiration levels?
- How would you characterize your urine and excretal refuse?
Activity/Exercise
- What are your exercise activities if any and
- How often do you participate in them?
- Do you find that you have sufficient energy to participate in these activities?
Cognitive
- How is your memory retention?
- How is your recognition and identification ability?
- How would you categorize you understanding ability?
Sensory Perception
- How would you rate your eyesight
- How is your hearing?
- How are your other sensory functions?
Self Perception
- How do you feel about yourself?
- How would you rate your irritability?
- How valuable and valued do you feel at home?
Role relationships
- How is the family interaction generally on a daily basis?
- Describe your coping and support system
- How do you deal with family relations and interactions?
Sexuality
- How are your sexual interactions?
- How do you regard your sexuality?
- What is the condition of your reproductive system?
Coping
- Any significant stressing issues in the past year?
- How you did or how are you currently coping with it?
- Does it leave you feeling anxious most of the time/ does it affect your quality of life?