Nursing diagnosis identified in families being clinically followed up by using Calgary’s model

Abstract

The family plays an important role concerning its members’ health and well-being, thus, nurses are supposed to take it into account as an integrating part in the healthcare unit. This study aims at analyzing the profile of nursing diagnosis identified within the families accompanying the inpatients treating non-communicable chronic diseases, by using the Calgary’s Model of Assessment. It is a descriptive study carried out in a medical clinic at a school hospital in the Midwestern Brazil, from January to June, 2006.12 families accompanying patients were included during the data collection period. They had agreed on participating by signing up a free and explained term of agreement. Both the inpatients and their families were considered as participative unit in the research. The meetings were recorded and the interviews were transcribed. The diagnosis statement was carried out based on North American Diagnosis Association Taxonomy II, version 2005-2006. The findings were discussed focusing on the diagnosis, related factors, and defining characteristics under the light of Calgary’s Model of Assessment. 12 diagnosis categories were found, nine of then were real, and 3 were risky, totalizing 49 nursing diagnosis. Well-being diagnoses were not detected. The amount of diagnoses ranged from two to seven, the average by family was four. In order of frequency we identified the following diagnoses: tension due to the caretaker’ role (100%), harmed verbal communication (75%), harmed home maintenance (66%), family processes interrupted (66%), harmed social interaction (25%), harmed parenthood (16,6%), and risk to harmed social interaction (16,6%). With an occurrence lower than 10% we identified: family incapability to cope with the problems, harmed parenthood and motherhood, risk to infection and dysfunctional family processes: substance abuse (alcohol). Despite the fact that it is not included in the North American Diagnosis Association Taxonomy, the infestation within a family was identified. Such profile suggests problems of the participant functioning and development, some of which precede the process of hospitalization and others aggravated or caused by situation of being in hospital. Nurses need to be aware of the families under their care, having as their duty to develop strategies shared with the whole multidisciplinary team, so that a family member sickness does not lead to greater imbalance concerning their structure and functioning. Family assessment allows us to identify their strength and weaknesses, in order to make a more accurate professional intervention.

Key words: Nursing; Family; Nursing Diagnosis; Family Nursing.