Development of Professional Practice Based on a Family Systems Nursing Framework: Nurses’ and Families’ Experiences

The purpose of this evaluation project was to elicit nurses'and families' experiences about differences and changes for nurses and families and the family-nurse relationship when a family systems nursing approach was used to guide practice. Following nurses' involvement in an educational workshop, the evaluation examined changes in nurses'and families' experiences over an 8-week period of a child's hospitalization in a pediatric rehabilitation center. A total of 17 nurses and 13 parents participated in the project. Nurses and parents completed questionnaires and participated in semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Nurses completed journals reflecting on their interactions with families. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. Findings indicate that a family systems nursing approach had a positive impact on how nurses viewed their nursing practice and their work with families, thereby enhancing family-nurse relationships. Such findings have relevance to clinical nursing practice, professional development, and evaluation research design.