A Family Health Nurse is a skilled generalist, similar to the approach that a GP takes. This differs from the current system of specialist community nurses who focus on particular age groups or types of need, such as the elderly, young families or the mentally ill. Their main role is to act as a point of contact for the public, have a real breadth of knowledge about their community and the health issues important to the people who live there, act as a health resource for families as a whole, at all stages of life and combine the care of family members who are ill with health protection and promotion of the whole family. (Friedman, M.M. (1998))
Family nurse practitioners focus on health promotion and disease prevention throughout the life span. They also diagnose and treat acute and chronic health problems.Family health nurses practice and incorporate the principles of primary health care, which includes accessibility, citizen participation, health promotion and illness prevention, appropriate technology, and intersectoral collaboration. (Friedman, M.M. (1998))They work with individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations in ways that are innovative, creative, intuitive, and educational. Their practice includes assessing various aspects of health that include both individual and social realities of a client's situation.( Hartrick, G. (1998)) Roles of a family health nurse often include educator, facilitator, resource person, and/or advocate. By incorporating the tenets of primary health care, they build therapeutic relations with their clients by establishing trust through supporting clients' strengths, open dialogue, and mutual goal setting.
What constitutes a family is no easy question. The Latin word familia comes from the word famel, a slave who was the property of his or her master. Later the tenn was used to denote domestic property as well as persons....................
