Ateneo - UPO

The course introduces the fundamental concepts of family nursing, which assumes the family – rather than the individual alone – as the unit of care. It presents the evolution of the discipline, its theoretical foundations (systems, communication and change theories) and the reciprocal relationship between health, illness and the functioning of the family system. The methodological core consists of the Calgary models for family assessment (CFAM) and intervention (CFIM), the graphic tools for representing the family (genogram and ecomap) and the family interview, practised in class through the analysis and simulation of clinical cases.

Infermieristica di famiglia
Una guida per prendersi cura del sistema famiglia
Il pensiero scientifico editore
Autori: Zahra Shajani, Diana Snell
Anno: 2021
ISBN: 9788849007176

Supplementary teaching materials (slides, clinical cases, exercise templates) are made available on the University DIR platform.

The course contributes to the objectives of the integrated course “Family and Community Nursing” by providing the conceptual and methodological foundations for assuming the family as the unit of care in primary care settings.Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
• recognise the reciprocity between health, illness and family system functioning, identifying the situations in which family assessment and intervention are indicated or contraindicated;
• apply the Calgary Family Assessment Model (CFAM) for the structural, developmental and functional assessment of the family, using genograms and ecomaps;
• identify interventions consistent with the Calgary Family Intervention Model (CFIM) in the cognitive, affective and behavioural domains of family functioning;
• plan and conduct a brief family interview, structured in the phases of engagement, assessment, intervention and closure.

There are no prerequisite courses.
Students are assumed to possess the knowledge and skills acquired through the qualifying Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, in particular: the nursing care process, the foundations of the therapeutic relationship and communication, and the ability to read scientific papers in English.

• Interactive lectures with guided discussion.
• Analysis of clinical cases and simulation of the preparation and conduct of the family interview according to the Calgary models.
• Guided self-directed learning: reading of the assigned chapters of the adopted textbook and completion of a structured template on an assigned clinical case, with feedback in class.
Teaching materials are made available on the University DIR platform.

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/servicesstudents-physical-or-learning-disabilities
Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The assessment of learning outcomes is conducted in an integrated manner through a single evaluation test, which covers:
1) Population Health Needs and Territorial Responses
2) Fundamental Concepts of Family Nursing
3) Sociology of the Family and Community
4) Methods for Family and Community Assessment
5) Design of Community Interventions
The assessment consists of a written exam featuring educational/organizational case studies developed by the course instructors. Each case is associated with Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), featuring 4 response options, only one of which is correct.
The questions are designed to evaluate acquired knowledge, applied understanding, and autonomy of judgment.
The number of questions for each module is proportional to the number of ECTS (CFU) credits assigned, based on the criterion of 4 questions per credit, up to a maximum of 12 questions per module. Consequently, the total number of questions varies according to the number of modules within the integrated course. Specifically, for the Integrated Course in Family and Community Nursing, the total number of questions will be 40.
Each question is awarded 1 point. The final result is re-scaled to a range of 0 to 31, where 23 points represents the minimum passing grade (equivalent to 18/30) and 40 points represents the maximum grade (30/30 cum laude).
The exam will have a duration of 60 minutes.

The family as the unit of care:
• Evolution of family nursing and levels of practice (generalist and specialist); from the individual-centred model to family systems nursing.
• Definitions and configurations of the contemporary family.
• Theoretical foundations: systems theory, cybernetics, communication theory and change theory applied to the family system.
• Reciprocity between health, illness and family functioning; indications and contraindications for family assessment and intervention; evidence on the influence of the family on chronic disease self-management.
Family assessment: the Calgary Family Assessment Model (CFAM):
• The three dimensions of assessment: structural, developmental and functional, with their categories and subcategories.
• Graphic tools: construction and interpretation of the genogram and the ecomap.
• Exercise: family assessment based on a clinical case.
Family intervention: the Calgary Family Intervention Model (CFIM):
• The domains of family functioning (cognitive, affective, behavioural) and the choice of interventions.
• Therapeutic questions (linear and circular), commendations of family strengths, offering information and education.
• Exercise: formulation of systemic hypotheses and interventive questions on a clinical case.
The family interview
• Preparing the interview: hypothesis generation and question planning.
• The phases of the brief (even 15-minute) family interview: engagement, assessment, intervention, closure; the most common errors and how to avoid them; closing the care relationship.
• Simulation of a family interview based on a clinical case (home-based palliative care).
Self-directed learning: Guided reading of the assigned chapters of the adopted textbook; completion of the interview preparation template on the assigned clinical case (genogram, ecomap, hypotheses and questions), with feedback in class. Integration of the gender dimension.

Knowledge and understanding
Describe the evolution, fundamental concepts and theoretical foundations of family nursing; illustrate the dimensions and categories of the CFAM and the intervention domains of the CFIM.
Applying knowledge and understanding
Construct and interpret genograms and ecomaps; formulate systemic hypotheses and therapeutic questions; structure the phases of a brief family interview based on a clinical case.
Making judgements
Critically evaluate the resources, strengths and weaknesses of the family system and the appropriateness of involving the family in the care plan.
Communication skills
Use the types of therapeutic questions and the relational skills of the family interview; justify care choices using appropriate disciplinary language.
Learning skills
Use the reference textbook and the scientific literature to independently deepen, from an Evidence-Based Nursing perspective, the care of the family system.