Family nursing includes a continued process whereby a nurse practitioner strives to provide for the health care needs of the family as a unit. The practice does not single out a family member but considers the family as a whole underlining that the whole family is affected in the case of one or more members are affected health-wise. Family nursing proposes that health and unhealthy behaviors are best learned with the context of the family with families playing a central role in the health of members. True to family nursing, the effectiveness and efficiency of health care is best emphasized from the family as unit approach with the maintenance, promotion, and restoration of family health an important aspect for societal survival (Denham et al., 2015).

Family nursing being less patient-oriented but more family-as-a-unit-oriented is an important addition to the nursing practice. The new knowledge of family nursing much helps develop another approach of health care giving that includes the whole family. It is by default true that, one unhealthy member means unhealthiness for the whole family. Approaching health from the family perspective then will help me as a nurse to understand the family lineage and dynamics, understand their culture, their beliefs and order towards establishing the best of healthcare system. For instance, back in the years, cigarette smoking was seeing prestigious. In a family that suffers smoking-oriented health problems, it is good to understand their smoking culture and history well so that one as a nurse can start well to establish a way to deal with the causative behavior towards collective family health (Denham et al., 2015).

With a new knowledge in family nursing, my approach in nursing practice is more enhanced in that understanding the family values, culture and beliefs will give me an extra edge in approaching patients from a family approach. The health issues of a patient will be getting more of a family approach to ensure effectiveness and efficiency, for a family member’s health issue will be seen as a family issue. For instance, treating obese patients will attract a family intervention, looking at the lifestyle of the family and treating the patient through the family-based approach (Denham et al., 2015).

Reference

Denham, S., Eggenberger, S., Young, P, & Krumwiede, N. (2015). Family-Focused Nursing

Care, F.A. Davis.