Family Health Assessment Essay

The Smiths have been married for twenty years and have an eighteen year old son and sixteen year old daughter. I formatted open minded focused questions based on Gordon’s eleven functional health pattern assessments to interview the family. These questions are included with this paper for review. This paper will discuss each of these eleven functional health pattern assessments and how it relates to my chosen family. Health perception relates to what health means to this family. Are they having any health issues, how do they maintain their health and where do they receive most of their health education? This family has few active health problems at this time and none of the family members currently take any medications, except OTC meds for headaches etc. Mom is overweight and is aware of this and has an action plan. Dad is a heavy smoker, smoking two packs per day for the last forty years! He does not recognize this as a health problem and does not want to quit. Everyone is up to date with vaccinations and sees their physician as needed. They have good health and dental insurance coverage. Both parents drink alcohol on occasion but not to excess. Eighteen year old son has drunk alcohol on occasion but has abstained since receiving a DUI last year at the age of seventeen. Mom is a Registered Nurse who oversees family’s general health care and health promotion. Family consider themselves Christian but does not attend church regularly. Nutrition assessment is focused on the patterns of food and fluid consumption relative to metabolic needs (Kriegler&Harton, 1992). Dads diet lacks fruits and vegetables which he refuses to eat, so diet consists of meat and carbohydrates. Mom on the other hand is Vegetarian who does eat fish occasionally. Mom is overweight, has a ‘diet’ plan but fails due to lack of willpower and working night shift. Family does not usually eat breakfast except occasionally on weekends. The children eat lunch at school, mom is asleep and dad will fix himself a snack. All family members take a daily multivitamin. Mom tries to prepare meals in the crock-pot when she gets home in morning for evening meal. If she is too tired or doesn’t do Dad will usually order fast food like pizza. Sleep and rest assessment focus is on the individuals sleep, rest and relaxation practices (Kriegler&Harton,1992). Mom works twelve hour night shifts 5-6 days per week and has 1hour commute each way to work. She is obligated to attend meetings at least one day per week for about 1 hour at end of her shift. She tries to prepare the evening meal each morning before she goes to bed. On a good day she gets 6 hours sleep, on days off she sometimes uses Benadryl to assist sleep. Dad is unemployed but is an early riser, usually awake by 0530 so likes to be in bed by 2100. Both children like to stay up late and must be encouraged to sleep as they have school. Elimination is focused on excretory patterns (Kriegler&Harton, 1992). Dad has no problems and has daily bowel movements. Mom tends to either be constipated or have diarrhea, she also reports moderate bladder leakage. Both children report no issues with elimination. Activity and exercise assessment is focused on the activities of daily living, exercise and leisure activities (Kriegler&Harton, 1992). Dad is unemployed so keeps up with the yard work and some housekeeping, but has no formal exercise regimen. Mom works long hours on night shift so feels she has no time for an exercise program as this would eat into her sleep hours. Both children are active with school sports such as football, cheerleading, volleyball and track. On weekends sometimes the family will go camping or kayaking. The family has a pool which Mom uses daily when the weather permits. Cognitive and sensory perception is the assessment that focuses on the ability to comprehend and use information and on sensory function (Kriegler&Harton, 1992). Dad has a GED but no higher education, he is a USMC veteran of the Vietnam War, and he is a well read individual with above average intelligence. Mom obtained her nurse education overseas and is currently studying for her BSN. Neither have any memory problems buts Dad’s mom had Alzheimer’s so this worries him. Both children are average students with no aspirations to go to college at present. Mom wears contact lenses, Dad wears glasses, and both children have no sensory deficits. Dad is also slightly hard of hearing related to his military career. Self perception assessment is focused on an individual’s attitude towards self such as body image, self esteem and self worth (Kriegler&Harton, 1992). Dad has some self worth issues related to being laid off from work several months ago, he has applied for many jobs but feels he is considered ‘too old’ at 56 years old. Mom is overweight and is extremely conscious of her size. She tends to wear loose clothes and does not like to be photographed. She has tried unsuccessfully to lose weight many times. Children are confident teenagers who are popular at school. Role relationship assessment is focused on the individual’s roles in the world and relationships with others (Kriegler&Harton, 1992). The Smiths appear to have a very tight knit family. Mom loves being a nurse and has worked at the same hospital for over 20 years. The family has a wide circle of friends; he has no living family and her family still live overseas. The whole family is very social and love to entertain when at all possible. Sexuality assessment is focused on the individual’s satisfaction with sexuality patterns (Kriegler&Harton, 1992). Mom and Dad have been happily married for 20 years. They have an active and satisfying sex life. Mom still menstruates and has been considering a hysterectomy on doctor’s advice for fibroid tumors. Mom strongly does not believe in elective surgeries so struggles with heavy menses monthly and severe pain. Dad supports her decision at this time but her pain distresses him. Mom has not had a PAP in years but has an appointment for a PAP and mammogram pending. Son recently split from long term girlfriend, daughter is not sexually active yet but just had her first PAP. Coping assessment is focused on the individual’s perception of stress and coping strategies, also individual support systems should be evaluated (Kriegler&Harton, 1992). Mom is an emergency room nurse who uses her husband to decompress. Each morning when she gets home they discuss her shift. Dad feels under stress at the moment while trying to find employment. Mom is supportive and is working extra to provide extra income. Children have usual high school drama but appear well rounded. This family regularly has a ‘family meeting’ where there is open and non judgmental discussion of any issues. All major decisions are discussed with the entire family. Mom is from overseas but speaks with her family every Sunday. Overall this family is well educated and well adjusted. This health assessment notes some areas that this family can work on.