Preview

Family Needs

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
971 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Family Needs
Guy LaFleur once said, “When trouble comes, it is your family that supports you” (“Family Quotes,” 2012). When a person becomes seriously ill, our job as nurses is to support that family. Evidence suggests that treating the needs of the family while treating the patient will yield optimum results. The patient will likely respond more positively with family around, and the family will be likewise more satisfied spending time with their family member in trouble. Family needs have been grouped into the five categories of receiving assurance, remaining near the patient, receiving information, being comfortable, and having support available. With evidence-based practice in mind, nursing interventions can be implemented to provide the best care possible. Receiving assurance involves nurses delivering peace of mind to the family members visiting the patient. Likely, the family will be stressed and worried for their relative, and it is the job of the nurse to ease them whenever possible. Nurses should respond to call lights, monitors beeping, and make sure to do rounding on time. They should be honest with the family when questioned and refrain from providing a false sense of hope or promising things that they cannot deliver (Bailey, Sabbagh, Loiselle, 2010). Nurses are likewise responsible for educating the family of all procedures and medications delivered to the patient in order to let them know that the patient is getting all the care the nurse is able to provide. Remaining near the patient is something that families desire and something that nurses can deliver. The workload may be increased for the nurse since he or she must address some or all of the patient’s attending relatives, but it is important for the patient and the family to be together. Evidence suggests that patients have lower anxiety, confusion, and agitation, reduced cardiovascular complications, a shorter length of stay in the ICU, a sense of security, and elevated safety and quality measures.


Cited: Bailey JJ, Sabbagh M, Loiselle C (2010). Supporting families in the ICU: A descriptive correlational study of informational support, anxiety, and satisfaction with care: Intensive and Critical Care Nursing: 26:114-122. Davidson JE, Powers K, Hedayat KM (2009). Clinical practice guidelines for support of the family in the patient-centered intensive care unit: American College of Critical Care Medicine Task Force 2004-2009. Crit Care Med.: 35(2):605-622. Family Quotes (2012). Retrieved from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_family.html Kowal C (2013). Helping your patient’s family deal with death. Retrieved from http://www.nursetogether.com/helping-patients-family-deal-with-death
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Critical Care Nursing Case Study
    • 122 Words
    • 1 Page

    Critical Care Nursing Case Study

    I chose this topic because the required article was suppose to be related to our case protocol in our nursing elective: critical care nursing. Other than that, we all know that family involvement in patient care is very crucial in managing the illness. They serve as the support system or the backbone of the patient in difficult times. From the start of the diagnosis to end of life care the family or caregiver is always there. This article though, talks from the perspective of the caregiver itself. School taught us about holistic and competent patient-centered care, so I’m curious about the side of the ones who are around the patient, who also act like nurses, in times of disease, like heart failure.…

    • 122 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    System Theory In Nursing: A Case Study
    • 318 Words
    • 2 Pages

    System Theory In Nursing: A Case Study

    Nurses need to understand and utilize the theoretical perspective to assess and achieve goals for families throughout their practice. By having a greater understanding of these theories, nurses can promote healthy habits and relations for all families. It also, help the nurse to recognize that family plays a huge role in the well-being of the patients since “family members are the first influence on a person's view of health” (Grand Canyon Univeristy, 2015); therefore, they need to be part of our nursing plan in order to better achieve the health care needs of our patients.…

    • 318 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Caring Kolcaba
    • 686 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Caring Kolcaba

    This research study developed and tested nursing interventions that would comfort children and families in clinical setting through a comforting behaviors checklist. These interventions were applied to questionnaire that patients and families answered and ranked. The results of study demonstrated that interventions of comfort during certain procedures enhance the relationship between the pediatric patient as well as the family. Trauma and end-of-life situations utilized comfort care measure best to allow holistic care of the acutely ill pediatric patient. Therefore, it is important for nursing educators to stress the importance of comfort measures during acute traumatic events especially with pediatric as well as other vulnerable patient populations (Kolcaba & DiMarco, 2005).…

    • 686 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Family Nursing Case Study
    • 518 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Family Nursing Case Study

    All individuals are affected by their family (Kaakinen, Coehlo, Steele, Tabacco, & Hanson, 2015). Today nurses realize the importance of the family unit on the overall wellbeing of the individual and by including the family into the patients care, it increases the positive outcomes for both (Svavarsdottir et al., 2015). We will review a patient I had many years ago and discuss the child and his health needs in regards to how it affects him, his family, the family functioning and the family interactions with community resources.…

    • 518 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Anticipatory Grieving Case
    • 2870 Words
    • 12 Pages

    Anticipatory Grieving Case

    The family members play an important role and helping care for the patient helps them with the grieving process while providing a supportive environment to express their grief while coping with their feelings (Davidson, 2010). The second intervention would to have been to take a moment to request a chaplain or ask some one to request one for the family to talk to them about what is happening and how they are coping with this situation and if there is a need for spiritual counseling for them or the patient. This gives the family members a chance to express the desire to have any rituals performed for the patient. Also, to help them cope more effectively with the psychological and emotional stain of their family member’s illness and the dying process (Davidson, 2010). Last, the third intervention would be getting the family a list of some activities that the family members can do that will help facilitate with the anticipatory grieving and dealing with the feelings of grief. Being active gives the family members a purpose and helps them to make sense of what is happening. This helps with reshaping their lives and find new meaning in life without their family member (Davidson,…

    • 2870 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Family Structural Theory
    • 915 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Family Structural Theory

    The Family Structural Theory provides a method in which a nurse is able to identify how family members interact with one another to establish a baseline. These interactions create patterns of behavior that the nurse is able to focus on when assessing how, why, and under what circumstances family members behave in their assumed roles, how they are organized as a family, what their established boundaries are, and how they are able to adapt when faced with change, illness, or crisis. If these family interactions are failing to yield positive outcomes, the nurse can use the Family Structural Theory to facilitate improvement in family functioning (Minuchin, & Fishman, 2004).…

    • 915 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Relational Ethics In Nursing
    • 1294 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Relational Ethics In Nursing

    The nurse must focus on each of the relationships between the patient and his family and the relationship with their patient and their families. This is important for gathering information to fill in the gaps created between family members through lack of communication or strained relationship caused by the illness. In this scenario, the best way for the nurse to advocate for the patient would be to fully understand the patient’s reasoning behind wanting to know his full diagnosis and help him deliver that message to his family. Since the patient desires to please his family members, once the patient and his family are able to carry out an authentic conversation, the parents can negotiate with the patient on how much information he should know about his…

    • 1294 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Family Presence
    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Family Presence

    The descriptive statistics in the article, Nurses Perception of Family Presence During Resuscitation, written by Tudor, Berger, Polivka, Chlebowy, and Thomas (2014) include demographic information such as age, sex, and ethnicity; as well as information regarding the participants years of experience and current work area, along with participant’s personal experience, if any, with the resuscitation of a family member. The Family Presence Risk-Benefit Scale and Family-Presence Self-Confidence Scale included in the article are also examples of descriptive statistics.…

    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Critical Care Familiy Needs
    • 1850 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Critical Care Familiy Needs

    Families of critical care patients experience loss that has not routinely been a part of the patient care plan, yet plays a significant role in the recovery process. Nurses have been the profession that interacts most consistently with the family and as such have the responsibility of addressing the needs of the patient and their loved ones. Customarily the family is excluded from the bedside except under limited visitation. This practice denies the value of family support and prevents nursing interventions in meeting the family needs. Providing support and ensuring a positive outcome for the family should be included in the critical care pathway.…

    • 1850 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Family Centered Health Promotion Paper
    • 900 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Family Centered Health Promotion Paper

    With patients undergoing hospitalization for illnesses and surgeries and having shorter and shorter hospital stays, the focus in nursing care is educating patients to take care of themselves in a healthy way in the community. Patients get referrals to the growing home health field for continued care for patients in their homes. Comprehensive health assessments are done following discharge by home health nurse/case managers. Nurses evaluate health history and medication lists Teaching and care plans are implemented in the home based on diagnoses. Care plans get communicated with physicians for approval and nurses and other disciplines are in constant communication for the benefit of the patient’s overall health. Family centered care becomes important as families become the caregivers. Nurses evaluate family situations and provided resources for them as needed. We identify barriers to learning and creatively instruct patients to overcome these barriers. A health-risk appraisal is a done to estimate an individual's health threat because of demographic, behavioral, and personal characteristics (Pender et al., 2006). Personal risk profiles are developed based on information provided by the client and information from laboratory data or other assessments. This is done for an assessment and motivational purpose and is the collection and organization of data to determine what the health risks are.…

    • 900 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Importance Of Provider Collaboration
    • 1260 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Importance Of Provider Collaboration

    This model focuses on the needs of the patients and their families as driving factors for nursing skills. These concepts are important in this dilemma because this patient clearly needs a provider that has the skills to navigate complicated situations. Nurses can play a vital role in facilitating communication between providers and assisting the patient with social needs, thereby, improving quality of life. Some appropriate patient characteristics in this situation are resiliency, participation in care, and participation in decision making. Resiliency addresses the ability for a patient to return to baseline functioning after an injury (Brewer et al., 2007). Participation in care, takes into consideration a patient preferences and their belief systems (Brewer et al., 2007). Participation in decision-making engages the patient in determining the most appropriate treatment based on available therapeutic options (Brewer et al., 2007). Nursing competencies appropriate here are advocacy, caring practices, and collaboration (Brewer et al.,…

    • 1260 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Essay On Holistic Nursing
    • 1110 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Essay On Holistic Nursing

    Holistic nursing care involves taking care of the patient as a whole and this includes the physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental well- being (Doosey and Keegan, 2013). As a nurse, taking care of these modalities will assist with promoting healing within and allow the patient to cope with their illnesses. An interview was conducted with a close family member in order to develop a holistic care plan. The family member sometimes struggles with dealing and coping with the current symptoms related to their illness. This essay will discuss the family member demographic information, which includes the following: their past and present health status, and present concerns. Second, there will be a discussion on the family member coping patterns, health values, social support, spiritual practices, and personal health goals.…

    • 1110 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Transition To Professional Nursing
    • 1815 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Transition To Professional Nursing

    Nursing at its core is caring, empathy, honesty, trust, communication and respect. I believe the fundamental core of nursing is caring. If you cannot give of yourself to others you are missing the essence of nursing. “In 2003 the ANA stated that an essential feature of professional nursing is the provision of a caring relationship that facilitates health and healing” (as cited in Meyer & Lavin, 2005, para. 1). Another fundamental core of nursing is respect. The nurse must have respect for the patient and their beliefs. Without this basic respect there will remain a lack of trust on the patient’s part to divulge necessary information that can facilitate their recovery. Listening encompasses both verbal and nonverbal communication between the patient and nurse. Developing a relationship based on trust helps foster communication between the patient and nurse. Listening helps identify issues that can hinder the accomplishment of goals that have been set for the patient’s recovery. Jean Watson’s Caring Theory is comprised of ten carative factors that can foster a caring relationship between the patient and the nurse. According to Chantal Cara (A Pragmatic View, Introduction, para. 2) “upholding Watson’s caring theory not only allows the nurse to practice the art of caring, to provide compassion to ease patients’ and families’ suffering, and to promote their healing and dignity but it can also…

    • 1815 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Best Essays

    Congestive Heart Failure
    • 1205 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Congestive Heart Failure

    However, because providing care for an ill family member creates stress for family members, support should also be directed towards caregivers (Löfvenmark et al., 2013). While the daily life of congestive heart failure is affected by physical and emotional limitations, family members are tasked with increased responsibility and role changes (Löfvenmark et al., 2013). In mitigating the stress with these factors, the nurse must include the caregiver and family members in her assessments. One study in particular demonstrates that information regarding care of the congestive heart failure patient targeted towards the caregiver are considered to be of great importance and contribute to a sense of preparedness and increase feelings of relief (Löfvenmark et al., 2013). Social support of caregivers is suggested to promote a sense of security and involvement that protects caregivers from the effects of stressors (Löfvenmark et al., 2013). Information would be provided to the caregiver regarding burn out and the importance of self care. In addition to providing education, resources such as respite care and community resources and support groups would also be…

    • 1205 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Best Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    What Should Parents Tell Their Seriously Ill Child
    • 1051 Words
    • 5 Pages

    What Should Parents Tell Their Seriously Ill Child

    Having a seriously ill child in a family is one of the most emotionally and psychologically draining experiences any parents can go through. The emotional needs of the child are of utmost importance, and the impact on family members can be very tasking. It is advisable that family members explore all support groups available, which can include family, friends, and social workers to help them cope with the life changing process of caring for a sick child.…

    • 1051 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics