Introduction
Despite any circumstances, individuals are inseparable from their family bonds. This fact remains true when a person takes a visit to a doctor, as their well-being is directly linked to their blood ties, both physically and mentally. Family nursing is not a new concept, but it is barely acknowledged in modern healthcare settings (Luttik, 2020). The article “Reflections on an illness narrative” by Shana Jamani presents a review of the case of Arthur Frank and his history of medical encounters. The author found Franks’ feelings to be universal for many patients, ushering doctors to utilize familial relationships in the healing process (Jamani, 1995). In this paper, I will provide my thoughts regarding family nursing, clients, and how this research will affect my nursing practice.
Scope of Family Nursing
The role of a family in nursing care cannot be underestimated. This term can be defined as the acknowledgment and active promotion of the involvement of patients’ relatives in the healing process (Luttik, 2020). Therefore, nurses are bound to solve health-related problems much more efficiently if they take into account the close ones of their patients. Family nursing teaches healthcare personnel how to adequately address one’s health condition in the context of interconnected individuals.
My view on the subject comes from my observations that patients who exhibit positive relationships with their families are more cooperative and less stressed out. I think that nurses alone cannot fulfill all patients’ needs which prevents them from achieving full health. Simply put, nursing care is a collaborative effort in restoring the well-being of a patient with the assistance of all involved parties, and it is mandatory to provide such an opportunity for everyone who is affected by a patient’s decrease in health.
The Client Within Family Nursing
For me, this definition implies the need to work on improving communications between nursing personnel and patients continuously. When viewing a case through the scope of family nursing, a patient becomes more than an individual who needs assistance in achieving the desired state of well-being. Many people are affected by one decreased physical and mental capabilities, and it is most likely more than one person who seeks medical assistance. In my mindset, a client can be defined as every person who seeks services from a healthcare facility while not being that organization’s employee on duty.
Impact on Personal Practice
After reading about family nursing, I believe it will be critical to utilize this approach in my practice. Many insights can be gained into a patient’s history through such a method. Moreover, patients’ families can provide necessary assistance for many illnesses even without having any knowledge regarding the illness itself, which I will actively seek during my work with patients. However, the most positive way for a family to assist with treatment is through support, empathy, and willingness to share experiences. I will strive to connect with each patient’s visit to aid them in understanding how they can speed up their relatives’ healing and remain conscious about their well-being simultaneously.
Importance Within Professional Nursing
For a nurse, a patient’s family is a direct participant in the treatment process. First of all, nurses must include family members of their patients in their professional activities. The efficiency of intervention improves significantly with the help of people who know not only the suffering a patient experiences but how to comfort them (Luttik, 2020). Second, a family’s overall health status can decrease due to the unexpected strain from one’s health loss (Jamani, 1995). A client’s relatives are both assistants and recipients and must be involved in treatment for their sake as much as for a patient’s well-being.
Contribution to Client Healing and Recovery
Family members can help more than both they and nurses often realize. One of the vital factors that a family can assist with is psychological stress from pain, suffering, and potential losses ahead for a patient (Imanipour & Kiwanuka, 2020). Even such a regular activity as family visits presents a valuable contribution to the healing process. In times of stress, relief that comes from a conversation with loved ones can help a patient to overcome depression, anxiety, and hopelessness (Imanipour & Kiwanuka, 2020). Family members are more likely to perform tasks appointed to them by nurses with care and responsibility that is on par with healthcare personnel, if not exceeds it (Broekema et al., 2019). The definition of a client in this paper assists with understanding the true goal of family nursing, which is the reduction of everyone’s burden through cooperation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, family nursing is an essential practice for nurses that must be taught and utilized to its maximum potential. It is time for healthcare professionals to properly acknowledge the impact of familial bonds on an individual’s health and use this knowledge for a radical change of practice. This topic presents a compelling set of benefits stemming from close cooperation between healthcare personnel and patients’ friends and family. Family suffers as much as each of its members, which can either be a motivational factor or a hindrance for nurses, depending on their knowledge of family nursing.
References
Broekema, S., Paans, W., Roodbol, P. F., & Luttik, M. L. (2019). Nurses’ application of the components of family nursing conversations in home health care: A qualitative content analysis. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 34(2), 322-331. Web.
Imanipour, M., & Kiwanuka, F. (2020). Family nursing practice and family importance in care – Attitudes of nurses working in intensive care units. International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, 13, 100265. Web.
Jamani, S. (1995). Reflections on an illness narrative: At the will of the body: Reflections on illness. Journal of Family Nursing, 1(4), 415-420. Web.
Luttik, M. L. (2020). Family nursing: The family as the unit of research and care. European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 19(8), 660-662. Web.