HLT54115 Nursing

This paper describes the term “Family Strength Assessment” that is useful for the nurses and local health providers to make strategies for Clinical Practice and promoting social welfare among the community people. In regard to this, this paper describes the benefits of such assessment for individual and community healthcare providers.

Family Strength Assessment

The most effective technique to get acquainted with a family is to undertake a formal family assessment. The family assessment provides clinicians with a chance to sit down with a family and get a better grasp of who they are as individuals. According to the theoretical frameworks presented before, it is critical that the family evaluation contain components that pertain to the family’s everyday lives as well as the environment in which they reside. The assessment gives information that may be utilized to develop suitable objectives and treatments since it uses a strength-based approach that takes into account a family’s culture and community (Hatrick, Lindsey and Hills, 1994). Most importantly, participation in the family evaluation is entirely up to the individuals involved. A key component of a successful family assessment implementation is establishing trust with the family members. The data gathered must show the positive aspects of a family’s culture, daily routines, and long-term ambitions. To better understand how families are changing over time, a family assessment is included in the evaluation process. The purpose of the family evaluation is to collect data for the IFSP/IEP, and it does so by asking questions about daily routines and the child’s strengths, weaknesses, and resources. Additionally, the family’s methods for fostering a child’s growth and development should be examined (Sittner, Hudson and DeFrain, 2007). As a result of using this assessment tool, the nurse-family connection will be strengthened, and trust will be built based on mutual understanding and respect, which is the first and possibly most essential effect. Nursing is seen to place more emphasis on what is most essential to the family than on other considerations. The words and phrases that Australians used to describe their family and how they interacted with one another have been properly reproduced (Smith, 2009). Such family strength evaluation may assist an individual and nurses in encouraging talks with a family about each of the eight aspects of family strengths that are identified.

Components of a Family Strengths Assessment for Clinical Practice and Promoting

Family nursing evaluation is guided by the principles of health promotion, which are discussed in detail in this chapter. In this paper, we suggest and discuss two intrinsic characteristics of health-promoting family nursing practice (Smith, 2009). The focus is on a human caring nursing ontology, and a framework is being developed to guide the evaluation of family nursing needs. This health-promoting assessment approach is comprised of four fundamental components: (a) listening to the family; (b) participative discussion; (c) noticing trends, and (d) imagining action and positive change in the family’s situation (Barnes and Rowe, 2013). These components are detailed in detail, as well as the strategic considerations that are inherent in each of them. The implications of this health-promoting family nursing evaluation for nursing practice are examined, and suggestions are offered for further study into this assessment framework.

Benefits of a Family Strengths Assessment for Clinical Practice and Promoting

The Australian Family Strengths and Needs Assessment (AFSNA) is intended to provide nurses with the ability to describe families based on the most important characteristics of affection, commitment, positive communication, spiritual well-being, resilience, togetherness, sharing activities, acceptance, and support. The tools assist nurses in better understanding the interactions and systems that people have with the other family members (Barnes and Rowe, 2013). Families are complicated and identifying and assessing their strengths permits the provision of health care services that go beyond the standard comprehensive model in culturally acceptable settings.

Strengths in the operating and functioning of the patient and the family as a complete person aid in the provision of greater support via health care choices. It is built on the strongest traits of a family to reinforce it rather than fixing the shortcomings in the functioning of a family (Smith, 2009). The multidisciplinary nurses and teams will subsequently be able to determine the health status of a person, comprehend what a situation means to the particular family, and, as a result, meet their special requirements.

In addition to the distinctions in strengths and weaknesses, each family has its unique knowledge of treatment techniques and illnesses. This indicates that nurses will not be able to effectively provide healthcare services if they use a generic strategy. To foster a cooperative connection between family members, patients, and nurses, a new strategy is required (Gottlieb, 2012). A patient-centered healthcare strategy may be developed by collaborating with all relevant parties to find practical solutions to health issues.

Nurses may utilize the theoretical framework of family strengths as a technique to foster strong, healthy connections in families that are under stress or crisis. The families strengths approach highlights and build on the good aspects of family functioning that are already present. Commitment, admiration, love, good communication, time spent together, a feeling of spiritual well-being, and the capacity to manage stress and crisis are some of the attributes that distinguish a family as strong (Gottlieb, 2012). Instead of focusing on the issues that lead to family difficulties, nurses use the family strengths approach to assist families in defining their aspirations and ambitions for the future (Smith, 2009). Nursing practice, nursing education, and daily living may all benefit from doing a family strengths evaluation.

Nurses will assist families in outlining their ambitions, objectives, and future dreams via the provision of support and counseling for greater health. The measures for support are concentrated on the identification of strengths and the giving of feedback, as well as supporting in the establishment of objectives and providing information services about resources and services related to the community (Sittner, Hudson and DeFrain, 2007). Strength-based care will look at a person’s capacity to cope with health and life difficulties in the context of what is best for them and what will work best for their family. They are also able to develop a person-centric care plan in order to achieve an efficient and successful conclusion. Knowing a patient’s strengths will assist health professionals in dealing with the parties involved in strengthening their inner strength to copy with a situation and generate appropriate solutions (Gottlieb, 2012). The Family Assessment method is founded on the collaborative partnerships, values of empowerment, healing, and health promotion, as well as person-centred treatment. The family will be equipped to cope with obstacles, increasing their confidence in the rehabilitation process. Finally, the involvement of the family in decision-making will recognize and appreciate their qualities, which may be found in their distinct talents, competencies, and skills (Hatrick, Lindsey and Hills, 1994). Because of differences in culture and ideology, the strengths of families are unique to each one. The method offers a foundation for understanding the health experiences of families, as well as their demands in the context of circumstances of vulnerability.

Conclusion

As per the above discussion, it concluded that the analysis of the benefits of a family strengths assessment is useful for the caring organizations in the local community in Australia for improving the delivery of clinical practice and promoting wellness of people.

References

Barnes, M. and Rowe, J. (2013). Child, Youth and Family Health: Strengthening Communities. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Gottlieb, L. 2012. Strengths-Based Nursing Care: Health And Healing For Person And Family. Springer Publishing Company.

Hatrick, G., Lindsey, A. and Hills, M. (1994). Family nursing assessment: meeting the challenge of health promotion. J Adv Nurs, 20(1), pp. 85-91.

Sittner, B., Hudson, D. and DeFrain, J. (2007). Using the concept of family strengths to enhance nursing care. MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs, 32(6), pp. 353-357.

Smith, L. (2009). Conducting a family strengths assessment using the Australian Family Strengths nursing assessment guide. Retrieved from 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279652724_Conducting_a_family_strengths_assessment_using_the_Australian_Family_Strengths_nursing_assessment_guide