FAMILY HEALTH ASSESSMENT
My family health assessment was conducted using the 11 Gordon functional health pattern. Marjorie Gordon’s functional health pattern is a guide for establishing a comprehensive nursing date base, using the 11 categories enable nurses determines the following aspects of health and human function (Gordon 1987). The Gordon 11 functional health patterns are health perception/health management, nutrition, elimination, activity/exercise, cognitive, sleep/rest, self perception/self concept, roles and relationships, sexuality and reproduction, coping and stress tolerance, values and belief. This paper will summarize the findings of each health pattern as well as the family based nursing diagnoses of each assessment, including the developmental and system based theory guide in the family assessment, combined with web-based resources of health promotion and illness prevention in the family.
The assessment started with health perception and health management pattern which focuses on a person’s well-being, habits, and behaviors for maintaining health. The writer selected her family which consists of a father (50years old), a mother (33 years old) and five (5) children age 12, 10, 8, 7, and 4 months old. Based on the health perception and health management, this family has a history of diabetes and hypertension health problem and has lost two uncles (maternal mother’s side) from complications of diabetes. No member of the family indulges in any health risk behavior such as smoking tobacco, drugs, and alcohol; except prescription medications for hypertension and over-the-counter medications for common cold and flu symptoms, and sleeping/relaxation medications. Based on the nutritional metabolic pattern, the family stated that they abstain from food with high sodium due to the family history of high blood pressure. This family eats together mostly during the weekends because the children prefer to eat breakfast and lunch
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