Environmental factors have varying effect on every individual family. In this paper, the researcher has developed an Ecomap and Genogram to help identify the relationship between Mr. Smith’s family and the environment. The relationship between the family and environmental forces is defined based on energy flow and strength. The aim is to help identify areas where improvements may be necessary to improve the relationship. The improvement will help promote a positive environment for the family.
From the two diagrams developed above, it is clear that this family consists of a husband, wife, and two children. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are late thirties and both are gainfully employed. Their eight year old daughter is healthy, but their five year old son is sick. He is suffering from sickle cell anemia. His condition has forced the parents to look for ways of ensuring that their child is always safe both at school and at home. Based on the interview, Mrs. Smith has made arrangements to come from work early in the evening when the son is leaving school to take care of him.
The two parents have a strong relationship with family members, their employers, friends, and the social worker who has been monitoring the condition of their child. They have received immense support from the three groups since their child was diagnosed with the disease two years ago. Family members have been visiting the family regularly to monitor the condition of the child and give them moral and financial support for the child’s medication. The family friends have also been doing the same. This has encouraged the family and convinced them that their child may come out a winner in the battle against this acute disease (Wright, 2013). The employer, especially Mrs. Jane Smith’s boss, has been very understanding. She allowed Mrs. Smith to change her schedule at work to allow her to leave early to attend to her child. The social worker provides professional support to the family about the child’s condition and how to take care of him.
The relationship between the family and their church is weak. This is so because they minister at their church once told them that the condition of their child was a direct punishment from God for their lack of support to church’s projects. The two parents have a tense relationship with the school because they feel the relevant teachers are not giving their child the special care he deserves. This tension has caused additional stressors to the parents besides having to deal with the fact that their child is suffering from a life-threatening disease (Kaakinen, Coehio, Steele, Tabacco, & Hanson, 2015).
To change the negative forces of environment, the family will need to face the stressors with the aim of improving them. The first step may be to change their place of worship. The minister seems to be interested in financial benefits he can get from the family. They should seek spiritual nourishment elsewhere. The parents should also visit the school and address their issue to the management. They should explain to them reasons why they feel their child needs special care. In this case, nursing intervention should focus on eliminating stressors directly resulting from the condition of the child (Craft-Rosenberg & Pehler, 2011).
References
Craft-Rosenberg, M., & Pehler, S. (2011). Encyclopedia of Family Health. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 51(2), 195.
Kaakinen, J., Coehio, D, Steele, R., Tabacco, A., & Hanson, S. M. (2015). Family health care nursing: Theory, practice, and research. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis.
Wright, M. (2013). Ecological Systems Theory and Practice: Systems and the Sociocybernetic Map. Web.