The government, health organizations, and public health main focus currently, is on illness prevention, creating ways to help people promote health and wellness. Healthy People 2020 is working toward the goal of achieving healthy and long lives for each individual. In 1987, Marjorie Gordon proposed a functional health patterns as a guide establishing a comprehensive nursing data base (Kriegler & Harton, 1992).
He developed eleven functional health patterns (Value/health perception, nutrition, pattern of elimination, activity/exercise, sleep/rest, cognitive, self –perception, roles relationships, sexuality and coping) that help nurses in the collection of detailed/adequate health data from individual and family. Based on the data collection in the above 11 functional health patterns, nurses can assess the health patterns, form nursing diagnoses, plan, and implement treatment for each individual as well as family. The physical, mental and social aspects of health are all incorporated in Gordon’s functional health patterns.
Essentially, data collection of all health functional patterns is needed to formulate nursing diagnoses. Here is the data collection of my family functional pattern regarding health and wellness. Value and health perception: Health perception and values are focus on the individual’s perception of health and their beliefs and values (Edelman, 2010). Eating healthy foods, adequate exercise, stress prevention and healthy life styles are the basic requirements for health promotion and wellness and family members are trying to focus on these factors.
Family shows interest and awareness by getting their regular health checkups every two to six months. Health issues are addressed as they arise, and getting vaccinations in time to prevent illness in family is our most priority. Mr. Francis (our father) has myocardial infarction (MI) and hypertension and takes his medications as prescribed by his physician. The family attend educational classes within the community that teaches how to live a healthy life with MI and hypertension. No member of the family smokes or drinks alcohol but our father does have history of smoking and drinking but he quit 5 years ago.
The family is Christian and holds their religion and social background very high. Family members are highly involved in religious (church) and social activities. The family has a very good perception of health and solid value system. The health and wellness nursing diagnosis are health seeking behaviors like regular checkups and healthy life Family Health Assessment 3 styles, eating habits and exercise, readiness for enhanced immunization status, and readiness for enhanced spiritual wellbeing.
This data shows knowledge level of the family regarding health, reflects the family member’s willingness to access health care, and strong values and beliefs. Nutrition-Metabolic pattern: The family follows a traditional eastern Nigerian food style. Most Nigerian food is rich in carbohydrate. We eat fruits, vegetables, and fish more than meat. We eat more steamed than fresh vegetables, and more white meat (chicken and turkey), and little red meat(cow and goat). We prefer drinking tea than coffee. Protein foods like egg, milk, and nuts (peanuts, and cashew nuts) are included in our food style.
The family member’s skin, teeth, hair, nails, and mucous membrane are healthy. Height and weight are normal for age. Nursing diagnosis for our family would be readiness for enhanced nutritional metabolic pattern and readiness enhanced skin integrity. Family members take care of their own health by consuming a balanced diet and drink enough fluid to balance with body metabolism. Elimination pattern: Family members have no elimination problems. No issues with constipation or diarrhea and we have regular bowel movement. No family members have bladder problem.
No urinary incontinence (dysuria, frequency, or urgency). We have normal bladder movement. The nursing diagnosis will be readiness for enhanced urinary elimination and readiness for enhanced bowel elimination. Fluid intake and fiber intake in food will prevent constipation and enhance fluid balance. The family members take care of their elimination needs by following adequate nutritional pattern. Activity-Exercise: The family engaged on exercises like walking and jogging two to four days a week in a park about two to three miles per day.
People in the family also spend some time in the following activities: playing games like warts, and lid do, singing, spending time with children, and telling them stories which enhances family members love, and bonding. We watch television and computer programs together which helps to ease the mind and in relaxation. Nursing diagnosis based on this answers are readiness for enhanced Self- care activities, readiness for diversionary activity patter, and readiness for home maintenance Family Health Assessment 4 management.
The individual family members are actively involving in self -care activities like exercising and spending time with family. Home maintenance is important for environmental health and wellbeing. Cognitive pattern: Adults were able to make decision regarding their own health and health of their children as well as their emotional needs. The nursing diagnosis in this pattern is readiness for enhanced cognition. The family maintains a good cognitive as evidenced by intact memory pattern. Sensory-perception: None of the family members shows any sensory deficits or problems.
Vision, hearing, taste, touch, smell, and pain perception are normal. The nursing diagnosis in this pattern is readiness for enhanced comfort level. The family maintains a sensory perception as evidenced by normal sensory pattern. Sleep-Rest pattern: Family members get seven to nine hours of undisturbed sleep, which enhances health and promotes relaxation. We take a daily nap after lunch, which helps to relieve stress and aid in relaxation. Wellness diagnosis for the family is readiness for enhanced sleep. The sleep pattern in the family showed no signs of insomnia or other sleeping pattern issues.
Self-perception pattern: Family members respect each other and follow roles and responsibility within the family. Every one exhibits a positive attitude in dealing with problems inside the family as well as the community. Nursing diagnosis is readiness for enhanced self-perception. Personal identity and self -esteem is highly appreciated. Role- relationship pattern: Family member’s roles and responsibilities are defined within the family. Relationship between family members and community is well established, which shows family members are well-adjusted within the family as well as in the society.
Nursing diagnosis related to this health pattern are readiness to enhanced relationship and readiness to enhanced role performance. Each family member plays an important role in healthy relationships within the family and in the society. Sexuality and Reproduction pattern: Satisfaction of sexual need is met as family members show satisfaction and wellness in sexual behavior. Family members have any problems in sexual relationship and functioning. Nursing diagnosis related to this health pattern is readiness for enhanced sexuality patterns.
Family Health Assessment 5 Coping- Stress tolerance pattern: Family members cope well with stress and practice stress management strategies. The family use communication skill, meditation, prayer, friends and church activities to resolve stressful situations. The family support system consists of friends and church members. Nursing diagnosis for the family would be readiness for enhanced individual coping, and readiness for enhanced family coping. Stress management is appreciated in family as well as individual’s health pattern.
Exploring the patient, family and their need through collecting required health functional data using the eleven Gordon’s categories of health pattern enables health care workers to formulate care and provide basic health care according to the individual need which is its main goal. Our family is well informed health wise, but they acquired more health knowledge after the above assessment which enhances illness prevention, health maintenance, and health promotion. Family Health Assessment 6
References
- Edelman, C. L. (2010). Health promotion throughout the life span (7th ed. ). St. Louis, Missouri: Mosby. Grouped According to Functional Health Patterns. Retrieved October07, 2012, from http://jxzy. smu. edu. cn/jkpg/UploadFiles/file/TF_06928152357_nursing%20diagnoses%20grouped%20by%20f unctional%20health%20patterns. pdf Kriegler, N. F. , &
- Harton, M. K. (1992). Community health assessment: A patterns approach to data collection and diagnosis. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 9, 229-234. doi:10. 1207/s15327655jchn0904-4
- Koshar, J. N340 Woman’s Health & Illness in The Expanding Family & N345 Clinical Practicum [Fact sheet]. Retrieved October 07, 2012 from http://www. sonoma. edu/users/k/koshar/n340/N345_Gordon_FHP. html
