Health Patterns: The Belanger Family Essay

Marjorie Gordon in 1987 recommended functional health patterns as a model for launching a comprehensive nursing data base. The eleven groupings make possible a methodical and systemized approach to data collection, and facilitate the nurse to establish the following characteristics of health and human function. A detailed assessment positions the groundwork to promote health and wellbeing within the family. Gordon’s eleven functional health designs include the following, values and beliefs, health perception and health management, nutrition and elimination, activity and exercise, cognition and perception, sleep and rest, self-perception and self-concept, roles and relationships, sexuality and reproduction, coping and stress tolerance, values and belief. This document will depict the health patterns of the Belanger family by means of the specific family-focused questions to each of the groupings above (Koshar, 2013). The Belanger family is comprised of Aaron the father is 28 years of age and Erin the mother is 27 years of age. The couple have two son’s Tanin, who is the eldest of 5 and Brent who is 2 months old. The mother is a stay at home mom and wife. The father is currently employed for the Hurst Fire Department as fire engineer and paramedic where he has served the Hurst community for 3 years. The couple has been married for 5 years. Summary For Each Functional Health Pattern 1. Health Perception-Health Management Pattern When the couple were asked of their overall health perception and health management they both agreed they were very healthy. The family could distinguish a primary health care physician and conveyed that each member has maintained annual physical exams. No one in the nuclear family admits to taking medications on a daily basis. Family history revealed lupus on the mother’s side, and diabetes, coronary artery disease on the father’s side. Aaron, the father has suffered from ulcerative colitis at the age of 15 years old and was treated surgically by way of a total colectomy. He currently exhibits no complications or problems with the reconstruction and lives a normal quality of life. Both mother and father report exercising and eating fresh fruits and vegetables to maintain their health. 2. Nutritional Metabolic Pattern Mom reports on a typical day consuming large amounts of protein such as eggs, tuna, turkey sandwiches and chicken with vegetables. The family reveals that times vary because of the father’s shift work and the new baby at home but typically they eat four times a day. Both Mother and father reveals they consume at least half their weight in ounces of water each day as recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine (Mack, 2013). 3. Elimination Pattern Evaluation of the elimination patterns did not disclose any changes in bowel movements or habits on the mother’s side but father revealed elimination at least three to four loose bowel movements every day due to the reconstruction of his colon. No urinary difficulties noted. The father revealed that he follows up with a colorectal specialist as needed for any further problems. 4. Activity-Exercise Pattern The couple engages in physical activity three to four times a week. The father has opportunities to increase his activity as a firefighter and participates in weight lifting and running with his coworkers. Mom is limited due to her 2 month old but expresses she performs yoga and walks daily with her children. Mom also performs housework as a part of her physical activity. 5. Cognitive-Perceptual Pattern There is no deficits in short or long term memory, vision is good and no one wears glasses or hearing aids. The couple finds decision making together easy and while the mother expresses she is an auditory learner the father discloses that he retains best visually. 6. Sleep Rest Pattern The eldest boy 5 goes to bed at the same time every night. The father and mother follow after the 5 year old goes to sleep. Currently both parents take turns when the 2 month old awakens during the night. The parents have broken patterns of sleep due to the baby and have both revealed that they are fatigued when they rise in the morning. Also the father is a firefighter and has broken patterns of sleep due to his shift work. 7. Role-Relationship Pattern The couple revealed the strong relationship bond with their parents family even though the mother’s extended is approximately 3 hours away. She has disclosed that she misses her extended family and drives at least once a month to visit. The couple does have close friends nearby but because of the limitations of having a baby at this time they are unable to go on getaways with their friends. They both stated they are not connected to any organized social groups at this time. 8. Sexuality-Reproductive Pattern This specific open-end question finished as a closed ended question due to the personal morals of the couple. I limited my discussion on this particular subject to respect their values and standards. Both the father and mother did convey that their sexuality was normal and healthy. From their perspective there were no changes or problems in their relations. 9. Pattern of Coping and Stress Tolerance Both father and mother expressed that money was a contributing factor to their large stressors in life. They both state that it is difficult for them to raise on family on one income. The father is particularly concerned and has recently written out a budget for necessary items that are needed in the household. The couple together has expressed that they reduce their stressors by communicating to one another and limiting their spending on only necessities. Communication is important to both of them as they rely on each other’s love and strength to progress through problems and issues that may arise. They both admit to drinking two alcoholic beverages every night before they go to bed. 10. Pattern of Values and Beliefs When asking the family what particular religion of culture, they expressed their practice of Christianity. They attend church on Sundays but do not participate in any other religious activities. Religion is important in their lives and the family takes comfort in prayer when difficulties arise. Finally, when asked what their future plans hold they articulated that raising their kids and living a peaceful life is what the family strives for. Nursing Diagnoses demonstrated by the Belanger family under the Health Perception- Health Management Wellness Diagnoses and Activity-Exercise Pattern included Health-Seeking Behaviors and Readiness for Enhanced Self-Care Activities. These two findings were revealed by the eating and exercise habits of the couple. The risk diagnoses that were revealed due to drinking 2 alcoholic beverages every night were disturbed sleep pattern and sleep deprivation. The current research published on Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, displays that while a bedcap may get you to doze off you’re more likely to awaken during the night and not feel rested the following morning( Azalavitz, 2013). In conclusion, Gordon’s guide offered a framework for assessment of the Belanger Family including all eleven patterns and a thorough assessment was completed along with two nursing diagnoses. Gordon’s influence was effective in providing a framework by which potential problems were identified in effort to promote health and wellbeing. References Azalavitz, M. (2013). Sleep it Off: How Alcohol Affects sleep Quality. Retrieved from http://healthland. time. com/2013/02/08/sleeping-it-off-how-alcohol-affects-sleep-quality/ Koshar, J. (2013). Women’s Health & Illness in the Expanded Family. Retrieved from http://www. sonoma. edu/users/k/koshar/n340/N345_Gordon_FHP. html Mack, G. W. (2013). Dehydration and Aging. Retrieved from http://www. acsm. org/docs/current-comments/dehydrationandaging. pdf