Family Values Paper
“The concept of family is one with which almost every individual can identify. For some, family means their family or origin; for others, it applies to the family they have biologically created; or for still others, it means individuals with whom they have developed lasting bonds of intimacy through adoption, foster care, or other relationships” (“Environmental influences,” 1990, para. 3).
Family as a unit has two basic purposes, first is to meet the needs of society of which it is a part of, and second to meet the needs of the individuals in the families (Friedman, Bowden, & Jones, 2003).
According to Friedman, Bowden and Jones, family has a crucial influence on the formation of an individual’s identity and feelings of self-esteem (p. 5).
Each individual can define the interpretation of family differently. In health care, one can define a family as a support system or the backbone to an individual in a state of compromised health. Each role of the family can vary based on the patient’s condition. As a health care provider it is important to understand the role of the family system. As the family system can change constantly in response to stresses and strains (Friedman et al., 2003).
The Essay on Institutional Racism and Racial Discrimination in the U.S. Health Care System
Institutional racism and racial discrimination in the U.S. health care system has been part of a long continuum dating back over 400 years. After hundreds of years of active discrimination, efforts were made to admit minorities into the “mainstream” health system but these efforts were flawed. Colin Gordon in his book Dead on Arrival portrays a very strong stance towards this issue ...
The influence of family members on one another is not simple, but complex. It is not one-way, but a reciprocal. The family, is similar to a mechanical system, it is made up of multiply parts that work interdependently (“Environmental influences,” 1990).
When one part does not function well, other parts are impacted (“Environmental influences,” 1990).
The family interacts with other systems, including those that provide direct services to family member who is a patient. Working as a perioperative nurse in the operating room (OR) the nurse does not have as many opportunities to work with the family. Most families leave their family member anxious about their family member going to surgery and are sent to wait in the designated waiting area. When working with children in the operating room we do try to reduce the stresses of the child by having parental presence in the operating room during a child’s general anesthesia, which may reduce the fear and anxiety of the child and the family member combine. In the perioperative setting family stress adaptation theory is conducive to the OR. This theory is based on multiply theories contributed of many psychologists (Grunert, 2013).
Hill’s ABCX model, identifies contributors to family stress, buffers against stress, and agents that cause family crisis (Grunert, 2013).
In the OR there can be unplanned events that can be perceived as stressful, there is that unknown for the family member waiting.
This stress can lead to a family crisis. Some of these stressors can be eliminated by the perioperative nurse making simple calls out to the waiting area to update the family, especially when the surgery is taking longer than it usually predicted. Families adapt to stress in different ways, or possess different coping mechanisms. Some examples of coping mechanisms families have is by talking among themselves or with a clergy person. By talking they are turning these people into a support system and a line of encouragement (Grunert, 2013).
The Research paper on Family Members Patient Disease Alzheimer
Alzheimer's 2 Alzheimer's DiseaseAlzheimer's 2 Essay, Research Paper Alzheimer's Disease does not kill instantly; it destroys the individual bit by bit, tearing away at their person-hood and self-identity. Most victims suffer for 9 to 15 years after onset of the illness. It is the most common type of dementia in the United States and Canada and after age 40, the risk of developing it doubles with ...
“This theory emphasizes that perception of stressors is more important than objective reality and by identifying resources and strengths, family nursing approaches that empower families can be developed” (Friedman et al., 2003, p. 75).
When in direct contact with the family before there scheduled operation, as a perioperative nurse we need to assess the environment that the patient is in, one of the most important assessments done is the patient’s family. Is the family present with the patient? Is the family asking questions? Does the family seem active in the patients care? When done assessing the nurse should be able to find out from the patient who in the family will be the main contact during the surgical procedure. And what role does that family member play in the care.
By assessing the family with the above questions, Newman’s expanding consciousness model also can be used in the perioperative care. As this model is looking for diversity within the family and understanding the energy fields among the family. Understanding the family will lead to better communication between the perioperative staff and future encounters on the nursing floor. In conclusion health care personal needs to acknowledge that families are fundamental to the health and strength of our patients with this we need to see that every family is unique and honor the diverse cultures, traditions, and spiritual values of families. No one family is similar but all families are the backbone to the health compromised patient. By being a perioperative nurse and seeing how family can by anxious over there family member going into surgery, gives more reasons to assess the family dynamics and keep family updated as much as possible during the course of the surgery.
