Family Values Free Essays

Family nursing is still seen as a fairly new specialty area in nursing. There has been discussion to define what family nursing is and what role family and nursing play in this matter. The consensus is that all definitions have as core concepts the notion of providing nursing care to families and family members (Braun Foster, 2011). We will write a custom essay sample on Family Values or any similar topic only for you Order Now Nurses have realized what an important role that families can play in promoting positive health outcomes by getting them involved in patient care. With that said families are seen in the context as how the nurse sees them and works with them. There are several definitions and concepts of family and they are believed to contribute to education, research and theory. Family Concepts The first concept seen is family as context. The patients care is individually focused and the family is seen as a resource but also can be seen as a stressor. The patient is seen as the primary focus and the nurse includes the family if she sees it to be of value and beneficial to the patient as a resource. In regards to promoting health with this type of nursing the patients family becomes involved if the nurse sees it as a benefit and if so they can help the family and be a good resource for them. The second concept that is seen is family as sum. In this type of nursing the whole family is treated and when they have all been treated then care has been provided. Health promotion has been met when care is provided to all family members. The third concept is family subsystems which is the basis for interpersonal family nursing. Examples of this type of nursing would be marital relationships and care giver issues. The fourth concept is family as the client. The patient is the whole family and that is what the focus is about. Family dynamics and relationships are examined along with the outer environment. The last concept is family as a component of society. The family is seen as one subsystem within a larger one such as a community or society similar to an educational or religious institution (Friedman, Bowden, Jones, 2003). Family can also be seen and described in other non-traditional manners. The term family takes on new meaning and is no longer considered the traditional mother and father roles. The new family unit may consist of single parents, divorced, gay, two female or two male parents but regardless of the mixture it is still a family unit that nursing has to learn to work with. The organizational changes put demands on professionals, such as nurses, but also demand an active participation by the family. Thus, nurses have to find new perspectives for their role and to create new ways for collaborating with their patients/families (Braun Foster, 2011). The nurse’s challenge will be to learn what is necessary and meet the needs of this non-traditional family. The educational needs and resources are focused in a different direction but the family still has the same needs of a traditional family. Family in and Around Home Family in this area is considered family as context where the patient is the main focus. If the nurse sees that the patient’s family is needed as a resource then they are contacted. Sometimes if the family is seen as a road block then the nurse may opt to leave them out of the picture. There is evidence of families playing a role in the recovery of the patient (Sjoblom, Pejlert, Asplund, 2004). In mental health most of the patients need someone to help them and often there are many patients out there who do not have a guardian or health care power of attorney. The patients are left to make their own decisions and when they are suffering from an acute exacerbation of their illness, this can make it difficult for them to safely make decisions. It is important that they have a guardian, family or friends to help them. Sometimes the closest thing to family is their case manager or an employer. There has been a move away from regarding the family as a burden to looking at the burden families are carrying. The interviews reveal that this new view has not been completely integrated in practice (Sjoblom, Pejlert, Asplund, 2004). The family as context is the best method for the patient since they should be the focus of the problem. Theory Florence Nightingale discussed in her notes on nursing several issues that involved the family. She knows of their importance in getting the family involved in caring for the sick. She mentioned in her notes, tips on caring for the ill and it also involved the family. Her theory may have been basic and discussed environmental issues which could be considered a weakness but it also discussed some strengths which were the importance of family involvement and its relevance to healing themselves. The families of people with a severe mental illness often carry a heavy burden. Research has shown that they feel that they are to blame for the disease; they experience sadness, worry, shame and guilt. The lack of participation reinforces the feeling of being excluded. (Sjoblom, Pejlert, Asplund, 2004). Nursing can only continue to assess the need for family involvement and encourage the families to stay committed with the patients which will help promote healing and increase their support systems. How to cite Family Values, Essays Family Values Free Essays Family Values with the Cosby Show Growing up in the mid 1980’s I can remember watching the Cosby Show. My family and I fell in love with the Huxtable family. The show was funny, witty, and dealt with serious issues at some times. We will write a custom essay sample on Family Values or any similar topic only for you Order Now It was also the first show that portrayed a black family living a successful middle class life style. The show’s concepts were very unusual to me, because around that time we thought America dealt with majority Caucasian problems and shows. Growing up in a dysfunctional home in which my mother was always under lots of stress and my father was to drunk to care about how we live our lives it was just a sad fact of family life at that time. At the time it didn’t seem like it was a bad way to live. That is until I discovered a different aspect of family life and values. The family values displayed in the Cosby show were things that I had never seen before. It was a complete shock to my young mind to say the least. Mr. and Mrs. Huxtable were the ideal parents. They displayed strong moral values, they also involved themselves in their children’s lives as loving guides, and they taught their children the value of how important it was to have an education. Despite all of these positive aspects surrounding their children they were still able to remain happily married. My siblings and I had a wonderful mother. Yet our family had a lack of morals and values that would serve to inspire us to do something with our lives. Morals and values were those key components that the Huxtables were so good at portraying to there children. As a family we never felt that we weren’t loved. My mother was always very good at teaching us how to look out for one another. I can remember that that was one of the few good aspects from the show that I was able to identify with. The Huxtables always seemed to have a form of togetherness. They were good at relying on one another. Their parents made sure to keep the children away from bad influences like drugs and violence. They instilled inside their kids those good morals and values that would help them to become good adults. Besides being loving parents Cliff and Clair Huxtable were friends to there children and thus enabled them to be parental guides when problems would arise. I think that it was that friendship that allowed for their children to open up and share there problems with them. This was the exact opposite of what it was like for my siblings and me. My mother didn’t involve herself in our daily lives causing me, in part, to become rebellious and secretive. My mother and father never finished high school. So I think that to them it wasn’t that important for us to do so ether. On the Cosby show both parents were college grads and both were successful in there career fields. I noticed that in the show it was expected of the children to go to a university. I know that not finishing high school and going to college may sound strange to you the reader right now, but due to were and when I grew up it was perfectly normal to be a drop out. Growing up in a poverty stricken drug and alcohol centered environment it would have been so easy for me to end up in a gang, or in prison, or maybe even dead. I believe that there are a number of positive factors that kept my family and me from suffering unfortunate events. Mainly it was our obedience and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I also believe that God has many different ways to speak to us. He is constantly throwing us life preservers, but it is up to us rather we grab hold to them or not. At a young an impressionable age I stumbled across a television show that would eventually change and challenge my way of thinking. I learn examples of what it would mean to be a good father, why it was beneficial to go to college, and I learned what I wanted my personal family to be like. The Cosby show was definitely a grate show. The show was a pioneer in its time leading the way for many other shows like it. That family taught me life lessons that I will never forget. It was a very positive show that I enjoyed and that’s stayed with me even until this day. How to cite Family Values, Essays Family Values Free Essays George Nunez ENC 1101 (REF: 640348) Essay 1 (out of class) 09/07/11 The True Meaning of Family Family is â€Å"a social unit consisting of one or more adults together with the children they care for. † Merriam-Webster. com. We will write a custom essay sample on Family Values or any similar topic only for you Order Now Merriam-Webster 2011. Web. 11. September 2011. Family is a very important part of everyone’s life, therefore we should learn to appreciate our families and never fail them. Family teaches us many significant things we need to live our lives successfully in order to prosper. True family values consist of love, guidance, and support. For one thing, the most distinguished characteristics families hold is that of love. Everyone in this world needs love and affection and someone who cares for them in order to feel satisfaction. For a family to stick together, everyone who is part of it must love each other unconditionally no matter what happens. Love within a family is extremely admirable and it is also the most amazing feeling you can ever experience. Now a days a lot of families are broken and dysfunctional and tend to lack of love and that is what hits me the hardest and just makes me realize how exceptionally important it is to love your family. Additionally, not only is it love that makes up a family but a family also provides you with guidance. In order to accomplish great things in life you need people who are always going to stick by you pressuring you and guiding you in the right direction. In that case, you should always have your family who will always tell you what is best for you and will most definitely always lead you in the right path. Guidance defines who you will be in the future since that is what helps us distinguish good from bad decisions. It is imperative for family to give us guidance through childhood so that we grow to be responsible and respectful adults. Lastly, another concept families hold is support. Family support doesn’t necessarily have to be financially but also emotionally and spiritually. In a time of need such as when you become ill, troubled in a relationship, or you’re just simply going through rough times and need someone to bring you up. When ever you may be having trouble with anything you should always go to a family member first since they are the ones who know you best and care for you the most and will help you as best as they can since your good is always in their best interest. Family tendencies are usually to be supportive one hundred percent no matter what the situation may be. All in all, your families are the only ones who will be standing right beside you through thick and thin. Once again, true family values consist of infatuation, direction, and encouragement. My family is always put above all things and as they say blood most definitely does run thicker than water. How to cite Family Values, Essay examples