Family Health Assessment

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Introduction

I worked with a family from Coolidge, Arizona, a white American family comprising a 40 year old man Mr. Reagan James, his 37 year old wife, Mercy Stewart and two children. They have been married for the last 18 years. A detailed study of the family was quite interesting. The experience was gratifying and full of acquisition of knowledge and skills. They were very cooperative and gave the relevant information with much ease. Their communication skills were above par, thus making the collection of data very easy. I assessed the family in various aspects using the Friedman Family Assessment Model. I then analyzed the data obtained from this family and developed a plan of care for the family.

Occupation and Education

The occupational and educational data revealed that Mr. Reagan was an economist working with a high profile company in Coolidge. He had a Bachelors Degree in Economics. His aging mother was a retired nurse and the wife a high school teacher. One of his two daughters was in high school and the other in primary school. Their daughter in high school was born with sickle cell anemia, which impacted negatively in her academic performance.

Environmental Assessment

The assessment of the environment clearly showed that Mr. Reagan’s family is very careful about the safety of the environment. The home was clean and quiet. The relationship between the family and neighbors was a healthy one. They would attend many parties together. They also met often to share concerns about their safety. I marveled at the friendly nature with which they regarded each other. The family has access to vehicles, but Mr. Ragan cannot be able to drive for long, due to a recent spinal cord fusion, putting him through physical therapy. During the weekends and holydays, Mr. Reagan’s home does lack visitors. There are always friends and extended family members coming over to pay them a visit. During a crisis situation, the family does not hesitate to obtain help from their social group. One time, Reagan’s wife had a missed abortion and had to be rushed to a nearby hospital for a Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA). The social group lent them a helping hand during this time.

The Family Structure and Function

The structure and function of the family was assessed through the use of interviews. It was during this assessment that the effective communication skills of the members of the family came to light. The relationship between the Mr. and Mrs. Reagan is friendly, and they have fond regard for each other. Apart from the fact that they are partners, they are also friends. Mr. Reagan does much of the outside work while his wife performs most of the household chores. The family does not have a house help and manages fairly well. Their daughters help with the household duties during school holydays. Mr. Reagan particularly has a soft spot for her daughter in high school, perhaps due to her condition.

Family Healthcare Resources

The family has a private healthcare provider that they trust and praise for the quality work. They believe that being healthy implies taking care of the family and supporting one another during times of joy and sorrows. They also make use of the nearby health facilities to purchase drugs and other resources requested by the family health care provider. They occasionally make use of those facilities when there is an emergency. They also have an insurance company that responds positively to their healthcare needs and relates well with the family healthcare provider.

The Family stress Factors and Coping Mechanism

The main causes of stress in the family are Reagan’s daughter’s sickle cell condition. Although the family has tried to cope with her condition, it remains a major problem. Every time her mother narrates the ordeal, tears stream from her eyes. Furthermore, due to the busy schedule of both Mr. and Mrs. Reagan, the family has little time together. They mainly meet only over the weekends. The good communication and human relation skills they have is very fundamental towards alleviating stress. They do not find it difficult to talk to one another on matters affecting the family. They often consult their physician due to the daughter’s condition.

The Family’s Strength

The main source of strength of the family is the closeness and openness with which they conduct their affairs. They have nothing to hide from one another. They also coordinate their roles effectively. Moreover, they have the advantage of having close friends and family members who frequently visit during the weekends, giving the family a lively appeal.

Data Analysis

From the Friedman’s assessment, it is feasible to say that the family has many characteristics associated with a healthy family. Even though Mr. Reagan and her daughter have medical conditions, the general health of the family is fairly above par. The good communication between the couple and their children is a great asset that lacks in many families. They understand each other quite well. The family also understands the role of safety in their home and

neighborhood. They have managed to do almost 70% of the items of the assessment. The couple drinks but they said that there has not been any incident of bad behavior arising from drinking from any of them. However, during my second visit to the family, I found Mr. Reagan drunk and talking too much, but this cannot be used, as a basis, to predict anything negative about his drinking habit. However, there is a need for a follow up to ascertain the validity of the information provided.

A Plan of Care for the Family

Even though the family can be rated as healthy, there are certain things that they ought to improve to make their health and well being even better than it is currently. The family has been doing well in terms of managing the condition of the daughter with sickle-cell anemia. The family should focus particularly on treatments that alleviate the episodes of pain on their daughter, prevent infections, control complications and prevent possible organ damages. Although the family has been doing good medical care for the daughter, sometimes she still experiences episodes leading to a significant amount of pain. The family ought to find a hematologist to help their daughter through her condition.

Mr. Reagan should also take his physical therapies very seriously to manage his condition of spinal cord fusion.

Mr. Reagan should also take his physical therapies very seriously to manage his condition of spinal cord fusion. It is advisable for him to continue with the non-surgical treatments as much as possible. However, in case of any further complications and depending on the results of CT scans, MRI, Spine X-rays, myelogram or SSEP test, he may need to undergo surgery (Hitchon, 1994).

The family should also not let their drinking interfere with the healthy relationship they have nurtured for years. They should fear addiction and other side effects of alcohol. They should not expose their teenage daughters to drinking which may interfere with their studies. The parents need to help their teenage daughters through adolescence, a stage of turmoil, autonomy, organizational and other challenges. Moreover, the family needs regular checkups to keep healthy physically, mentally and psychologically.

References

Bomar, P. J. (2004). Promoting Health in Families: Applying Family Research and Theory to Nursing Practice. Philadelphia, Penns: Saunders

Hitchon, P. W., Rengachary, S. S., & Traynelis, V. C. (1994). Techniques in Spinal Fusion and Stabilization: New York: Thieme Medical Publishers

Joint Commission Resources, Inc. (2003). Approaches to Pain Management: An Essential Guide for Clinical Leaders. Oakbrook Terrace, IL: Joint Commission Resources.

Weber, J. & Kelley, J. (2009). Health Assessment in Nursing: Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins