Concepts found within family nursing theory revolve around the ability of the family to cope with medical problems and maintain positive lifestyles. The family, in other words, can serve as the real impetus for healthy lifestyles by continually assisting family members to take care of themselves.
Features
The basic concepts of family nursing are basically five in number. The family can assist in developing member's commitment to healthy living. The family can continually interact with each other, reinforcing healthy lifestyles and urging members to continue healthy practices. Third, the family can cope with medical problems and provide a strong support structure. Taken in itself, the family can provide emotional support for health problems. Finally, the family can itself serve as a catalyst for healthy behaviors.
Function
Family nursing holds that families are integral for healthy lifestyles as well as coping with illness when it occurs. For example, a nurse might hold that a patient is difficult and might not take her medicine. The result of this is that the nurse can approach the family as an assistant, where other family members can interact with the difficult patient so she can recover. The family in this theory is invaluable as an extension of hospital nursing.
Significance
Like many other newer approaches to nursing, family nursing sees health as holistic, that is, taking into itself all aspects of the patient's life, not just the obviously medical. Concepts in family nursing hold that health is really an environmental reality, not merely a medical one. This is to say that, to use one concept, strong and integral families are central for both maintaining health and recovering it. People living alone often do not feel loved or wanted enough to work hard at healthy living.
Effects
Family nursing places the social environment of patients at the forefront of their health. Families are integral in inculcating healthy lifestyles in their members. Children learn most of their health habits early in their lives. Family is central in the basic approach of each of its members to healthy living in matters such as hygiene, diet and exercise.
Benefits
Family nursing realizes that the medical profession is only one aspect of health and healthy living. The family is the real catalyst for these things, because family members love and care for one another. They have a strong interest in the health of all its members and, therefore, will work hard to maintain this health.
