A TYPOLOGY OF NURSING PROBLEMS IN FAMILY NURSING

PRACTICE

FIRST LEVEL ASSESSMENT

I. Presence of health threats, health deficits and foreseeable crisis or stress points
in the family.
A. HEALTH THREATS- conditions that are conducive to disease, accident or
failure to realize one’s health potential.
Ex.
1. Health history of specific condition or disease (diabetes)
2. Threat of cross infection from a communicable disease case
3. Family size beyond what family resources can adequately
provide
4. Accident hazards
5. Nutritional
6. Stress provoking factors
7. Poor environmental sanitation
8. unsanitary food handling and preparation
9. personal habits and unhealthy lifestyle practices
10. Inherent personal characteristics (short temper)
11. health history which may precipitate/ induce the occurrence of
a health deficit (history of a difficult labor)
12. Inappropriate role assumptions
13.Inadequate immunization status
14. Family disunity
15. others specify____________
B. HEALTH DEFICITS- instance of failure in health maintenance
Ex.
1. Illness states, regardless whether it is diagnosed or undiagnosed by a
medical health practitioner.
2. Failure to thrive or develop according to normal rate
3. Disability arising from an illness, whether transient or temporary
(temporary paralysis from a CVA or leg amputation secondary to
diabetes)
B. STRESS POINTS/ FORESEEABLE CRISIS SITUATIONS – anticipated
periods of unusual demand on the individual or family in terms of adjustment
or family resources.
Ex.
1. marriage
2. pregnancy, labor or puerperium
3. parenthood
4. additional member
5. abortion
6. entrance at school
7. adolescence
8. loss of job
9. hospitalization or death of a member
 10. resettlement ina new community
11. illegitimacy
12. others specify ___________

SECOND LEVEL ASSESSMENT

II. Inability to recognize the presence of the problem due to:
1. Ignorance of facts
2. Fear of consequences of diagnosis of problem (social stigma)
3. attitudes or philosophy in life
4. others specify ___________
III. Inability to make decisions with respect to taking appropriate health action
due to:
1. Failure to comprehend the nature, magnitude/ scope of the
problem
2. low salience of the problem
3. feeling of confusion and/ resignation brought about by failure to
brake down problems into manageable units of attack
4. lack of knowledge or insights as to alternative courses of action
open to them
5. Inability to decide which action to take from among a list of
alternatives
6. conflicting opinions among family members/ significant others
regarding action take
7. Ignorance of community resources for care
8. Fear of consequences of action
9. negative attitude towards the health problem
10.Inaccessibility of appropriate resources of care
11. lack of trust or confidence to the health personnel or agency
12.Misconception or erroneous information about proposed
course(s) of action

IV. Inability to provide adequate nursing care to the sick, disabled, dependent or
vulnerable at risk member of the family due to:
1. Ignorance of facts about the disease/ health condition (nature,
severity, complications, prognosis and management) child
development and child care
2. Ignorance of the nature and extent of nursing care needed
3. Lack of the necessary facilities (equipment and supplies) for
care
4. Lack of knowledge and skill in carrying out the necessary
treatment/ procedure/ care
5. Inadequate family resources for care
6. negative attitude towards the sick, disabled, dependent,
vulnerable at risk member
7. attitude or philosophy in life
8. members preoccupied with own concerns and interests
IV. Inability to provide a home environment which is conducive to health
maintenance and personal development due to
1. Inadequate family resources
2. Failure to see benefits of investment in home environment
improvement
3. Ignorance of importance of hygiene and sanitation
4. Ignorance of preventive measures
5. Lack of skill in carrying out measures to improve home
environment
6. Ineffective communications patterns
7. Attitude or philosophy in life
V. Failure to utilize community resources for health care due to
1. Ignorance or lack of awareness of community resources for
health care
2. Failure to perceive the benefits of health care services
3. lack of trust in the agency or personnel
4. previous unpleasant experience with health worker
5. fear of consequence of action
6. unavailability of required care/ services
7. inaccessibility of required care or services
8. lack or inadequate family resources
9. feeling of alienation to or lack of support from the
community
10.attitude or philosophy in life