The Bruce Morrison family as collateral. The major reason for this is that it has the nuclear family element within it. Other elements that give this family the collateral pattern is the care given to members of the extended family as well as the attention paid to these members. Bruce is concerned about his sick father and feels guilty that he has left the entire care to his sister. There is also the presence of Tara; a grandchild to Bruce and Maria (Kaakinen, Gedaly-Duff, Coehlo & Hanson 2010, pp.3-6). Does this family have specific characteristics that make life good or difficult for its members?
The Morrison family has many features that make life good for the family members. The love between Maria and Bruce has kept the two together and this has helped bring up the children in a respectable manner. Perfection may be absent but this is a happy family to a large extent. This is due to the absence of conflicts between the parents. The presence of children is also a source of happiness in this family. This is not to imply that families that do not have children are not happy. But the fact that Maria comes from a background that values family means that she is in a position to appreciate her husband more as well as the product of their marriage. Another dimension to this is that the children have increased the sense of attachment between Bruce and Maria. In addition to the above, the fact that the family has access to financial resources is very important. This is the reason why Carmen can attend college and the other children have most of what they need to make life worth living. It is a fact that economic potential makes a huge contribution towards good family life.
On the other hand, there are elements in this family that make life difficult. These include the unexpected pregnancy of Cynthia and the premature birth of Tara. These occurrences have made life difficult by putting strain on the family’s financial resources and creating unnecessary pressure on Cynthia’s studies and family relations. This is shown by Cynthia’s conflicts with her mother, Maria. Also, the sickness of Bruce’s father and the fact that he is not able to help his sister in caring for him has given him a sense of guilt. These features have made put pressure on the Morrison family.
Culturally, the Morrison family is diverse. From Maria’s background, family unity is vital. This is characteristic of most Hispanic families. Bruce’s attachment to his sister and parents is not as strong as Maria’s attachment to her parents who branded Bruce a child stealer when he moved away with Maria. A typical or usual day in this family is marked by breakfast followed by children leaving for school as Bruce goes to work. Maria remains in the home probably with Tara when Cynthia is in school too. A special day would see Bruce spend time with all the other members of the family at home with a special meal and a game in the recreation room in the basement.
Economically, this is a middle-class family. Socially, they are not so involved with the wider society and their spirituality is taken seriously but everyone has the freedom to attend a church of his or her choice. Compared to my family, there are similarities in that my family back in the 1950s was middle class and only my father used to work. He was the breadwinner of the family and religion was taken seriously too.
As a nurse, my major areas of concern, if I visited this family, would be their health habits and the family health history. Specific areas include Maria’s smoking and the fact that members of the extended families from both Bruce and Maria have hereditary conditions (Kaakinen, Gedaly-Duff, Coehlo & Hanson 2010, pp.50-52). A wellness plan would include assisting Maria to quit smoking and helping her to join Bruce is going to the gym.
Reference
Kaakinen, J.R., Gedaly-Duff, V., Coehlo, D.P. & Hanson, S. H., (2010). Family Health Care Nursing: Theory, Practice, & Research (4th ed). Philadelphia: FA Davis Company.