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GORDON’S TYPOLOGY OF FUNCTIONAL HEALTH  Urinary elimination pattern (describe) Frequency,

PATTERNS problem with bladder control?
 Excess perspiration? Odor problems? Body
cavity drainage, suction?
1. Health Perception – Health Management Pattern
Objective Data:
Subjective Data:
 If indicated, examine excretions or drainage for
 Client’s general health?
characteristics, color, and consistency.
 Any colds in the past year?
Abdominal assessment.
 (If appropriate) Any absences from work/school?
 Most important things you do to keep healthy?
 Use of cigarettes, alcohol, drugs? 4. Activity Exercise Pattern
 Perform self-exams, i.e. Breast/testicular self-
Subjective Data:
examination?
 Accidents at home, work, school, driving?  Sufficient energy for desired and/or required
 In past, has it been easy to find ways to carry out activities?
doctor’s or nurse’s suggestions?  Exercise pattern? Type? Regularity?
 (If appropriate) What do you think caused current  Spare time (leisure) activities?
illness?  Child-play activities?
 What actions have you taken since symptoms  Perceived ability for feeding, grooming, bathing,
started? general mobility, toileting, home maintenance,
 Have your actions helped? bed mobility, dressing and shopping?
 (If appropriate) What things are most important to
Objective Data:
your health?
Demonstrate ability for the following criteria:
2. Nutritional-Metabolic Pattern
 Gait. Posture. Absent body part. Range of motion
Subjective Data: (ROM) joints. Hand grip - can pick up pencil?
 Respiration. Blood pressure. General
 Typical daily food intake including snacks? appearance.
 Use of supplements, vitamins?  Musculoskeletal, cardiac and respiratory
 Typical daily fluid intake? assessments.
 Weight loss/gain? Height loss/gain?
 Appetite?
5. Sleep –Rest Pattern
 Breastfeeding? Infant feeding?
 Food or eating: Discomfort, swallowing Subjective Data:
difficulties, diet restrictions, able to follow?
 Generally rested and ready for activity after
 Skin problems: Lesions? Dryness? Dental
sleep?
problems?
 Sleep onset problems? Aids? Dreams
Objective Data: (nightmares), early awakening?
 Rest / relaxation periods?
 Skin assessment, oral mucous membranes,
teeth, actual weight/height, temperature. Objective Data:
Abdominal assessment.
 Observe sleep pattern and rest pattern if
applicable
3. Elimination Pattern
 Dark circles around the eyes, eye bags, yawning,
Subjective Data: or inability to concentrate

 Bowel elimination pattern (describe) Frequency,

character, discomfort, problem with bowel 6. Cognitive-Perceptual Pattern
control, use of laxatives (i.e. type, frequency)?

Subjective Data:
 Hearing difficulty? Hearing aid?
 Vision? Wears glasses? Last checked? When
last changed?
 Any change in memory? Concentration?
 Important decisions easy/difficult to make?
 Easiest way for you to learn things? Any
difficulty?
 Any discomfort? Pain? COLDSPA C - Character
O - Onset L - Location D - Duration
S – Severity P - Pattern A - Associated factors
(Weber, 2003)
Objective Data:
 Orientation.
 Hears whispers? Reads newsprint?
 Grasps ideas and questions (abstract, concrete)?
 Language spoken. Vocabulary level.
 Attention span.
7. Self-Perception, Self-concept Pattern
Subjective Data:
 How do you describe yourself?
 Most of the time, do you feel good (or not so
good) about self?
 Changes in body or things you can do?
 Changes in the way you feel about self or body
(generally or since illness started)?
 Things that frequently make you angry?
Annoyed? Fearful? Anxious? Depressed?
 Not able to control things? What helps?
 Did you feel like becoming hopeless?
Objective Data:
 Eye contact. Attention span (distraction?).
 Voice and speech pattern.
 Body posture.
 Client nervous (5) or relaxed (1) (rate scale 1-5)
Client assertive (5) or passive (1) (rate scale 1-5)
8. Role-Relationship Pattern
Subjective Data:
 Live alone?
 Family? Family structure? Any family problems
you have difficulty handling (nuclear/extended
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family)? Family or others depend on you for
things? How well are you managing?
 If appropriate – How families/others feel about
your illness?
 Problems with children?
 Belong to social groups?
 Close friends? Feel lonely? (Frequency)
 Things generally go well at work / school?
 If appropriate – income sufficient for needs?
 Feel part of (or isolated in) your neighborhood?
Objective Data:
 Interaction with family members or others if
present.
9. Sexual-Reproductive Pattern
Subjective Data:
 If appropriate to age and situation – Sexual
relationships satisfying? Changes? Problems?
 If appropriate – Use of contraceptives?
Problems?
 Female – when did menstruation begin? Last
menstrual period (LMP)? Any menstrual
problems?
Objective Data:
 None. Unless a problem is identified or a pelvic
examination is warranted as part of full physical
assessment (advanced nursing skill).
10. Coping-Stress Tolerance Pattern
Subjective Data:
 Any big changes in your life in the last year or
two? Crisis?
 Who is most helpful in talking things over?
Available to you now?
 Tense or relaxed most of the time? When tense,
what helps?
 Use any medications, drugs, alcohol to relax?
 When (if) there are big problems in your life, how
do you handle them? Most of the time, are these
ways successful?
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11. Value-Belief Pattern

Subjective Data:

 Generally get things you want from life?

 Important plans for the future?
 Religion important to you? If appropriate to ask -
Does this help when difficulties arise?
 If appropriate – will being here interfere with any
religious practices?
 Health beliefs/values?