Family Assessment Essay Example

One of our main objectives as future nurses is to understand individual patients is to first gain an understanding of family background. Working with family from a systems perspective, the nurse is able to gain an understanding to the ways in which family members interact, what the family norms and expectations are, how effectively members communicate, who makes decisions, and how the family deals with needs and expectations (Edleman & Mandle, 2002). In the concept of systems theory, a family can exist within a community (suprasystem) and at the same time have smaller relationships within that family (subsystems). By composing a genogram, or family tree, one can see information on family relationships, health patterns, occupations, and religion. By composing an ecomap one can see information on how a family and its members interact with larger systems or smaller subsystems. The term family can be defined as "a group of individuals who are bound by strong emotional ties, a sense of belonging, and a passion for being involved in one another's lives (Wright & Leahey, 2000). My girlfriend Reynelyn and I conducted this interview with her mom, dad, younger brother, older sister, and the immediate family of her father's side. The families that I chose to conduct my interview and research on are the Agbayani and Pascual families. By using the concepts of systems theory, genograms, and ecomaps, I will be giving you an analysis of her family and its relationships, health patterns, habits, customs, traditions, and how the members of the family interact with one another and also the outside community.

Family Description & Structure
Even though the Agbayani family is of Filipino descent, they can be seen as similar as any other working class nuclear family living in the United States. Reynelyn's household and immediate family consist of her father (Rodrigo), mother (Lorna), older sister (Heidi), younger brother (Leo), and herself. Her extended family on her