Family Nursing

Family Nursing Intervention

Name

Institution

Introduction

This assignment will address various nursing interventions used in patient-family context. Four approaches requiring nursing interventions will be presented and supported by a handful of peer-reviewed literature. In the end, conclusion section will act as a wrapper enclosing whole activity within one paragraph, deducing meaningful inferences from it.

Situation 1: Family as Context

During my clinical practice, I met a patient suffering from diabetes type-2. This was because of overeating that he was indulged in from past several years. Role of his family was quite distressing for him because they often talked him rudely, humiliating him calling him “giant flesh” (as he was obese). He reported that he is aware of his uncontrollable and excessive eating, absent physical activity but his family never tried to help him correcting his routine asking him to make a particular diet plan or never stopped him from abnormal eating. My intervention as a nurse was to counsel his family about patient’s expectations from his family and introducing the concept of appraisal and positive reinforcement for them. Family counseling is potent enough to mitigate negative healthcare influences in patient (Nicklett et. al., 2013).

Situation 2: Family as Client

Family provides three types of support to the patient—emotional, instrumental and informational. A young patient (23 years) was suffering from terminal illness (Skin Cancer). When she was first diagnosed with cancer, her family was told about it. She was an over-protective child and upon hearing that her illness is incurable, her parents lost hope and her mother acquired clinical depression. Her mother cried almost all the time, never talked to someone, never ate and slept much, remained worried all the time and reported suicidal ideation because of her perceived sense of worthlessness and dark future. Nursing intervention in this case was several therapeutic sessions that were arranged to provide effective psychological interventions e.g., Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and antidepressants. It only relieves neurological abnormalities but also rational and behavioral concerns providing safer channel for venting feelings, frustrations and fears out (Boyce et. al., 2012; Cody & Drysdale, 2012)..

Situation 3: Family as System

Family is important not only for fulfilling emotional or financial needs but also nurturing the sense of love and belongingness of individual. When an individual is in crisis, others undoubtedly get affected in certain ways—their interaction with each other is altered as well. In clinical practice, a child was in critical care unit because of his terrible car accident. His parents were there all the time, neglecting their other children. Particularly mother was quite indifferent to other siblings, she never knew how are they doing? Are they going school? Are they eating well? Even she did not utter even a single word when they came to see their injured brother. This situation affected other siblings and her husband as well—in the negative way obviously. Again, nursing intervention revolves around counseling and talk therapy that how her behavior affected her children during past few days (Dubowitz, 2015).

Situation 4: Family as Component of Society

Physical illness apparently influences the affected person physically but invisibly and inevitably affects whole family in terms of their functioning as a fruitful and desirable member of community. Taking example from the above mentioned case, mother became neglected to the children and husband, likewise, the father—responsible for paying dollars for her child’s better recovery—was also unable to pay his full fledge attention to his job. He was worried and despite joining office regularly, he worked improperly. It affected his role as a responsible and efficient member of organization. Hence, each member was influenced in his own particular way. Community nursing intervention included counseling that how can he attain work-life balanced during such emotionally distressing situations (Hanson, et. al., 2010).

Conclusion

This assignment focused more on emotional and mental deterioration that family members face during caring their loved one. Nursing intervention revolves around “talk” therapies and counseling because each scar and wound does not require medication. Emotional healing just requires an excellent listener and insight developer—the crux of nursing profession.

References

Boyce, R. D., Hanlon, J. T., Karp, J. F., Kloke, J, Saleh, A., & Handler, S. M., (2012). A review of the effectiveness of antidepressant medications for depressed nursing home residents. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 13, 326–31. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22019084

Cody, R. A., Drysdale, K. (2012). The effects of psychotherapy on reducing depression in residential aged care: a meta-analytic review. Clinical Gerontologist, 36:46–69. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK127125/

Dubowitz, H., (2015). Neglect in Children. Pediatr Ann., 42(4): 73–77. doi: 10.3928/00904481-20130326-11

Hanson, H. M. S., Coehlo, P. D., Duff, G. V., & Kaakinen, R. J., (2010). Family Healthcare Nursing: Theory, Practice and Research 4th edition. Retrieved from https://we.tl/t-4b1vvi7wto

Nicklett, E. J., Heisler, M. E., Spencer, M. S., Rosland, A. M. (2013). Direct social support and long-term health among middle-aged and older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci, 68, 933–43. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24150176