The Family System Theory is based on all family social science frameworks describing an understanding of how a family system is structured. Application of this framework provides the nurse with a holistic approach to examine family dynamics as a whole. “Family Systems Theory is constructed of concepts and the proposition that provides a framework for thinking about the family as a system” (Kaakinen et al., 2015, p.76). Every member is vital to the structure and function of the family unit. My rationale for choosing this framework relates to the shared idea that family is truly an interactive system where the experiences of one individual ending up impacting all members of the group, even though the degree or type of impacts may be different. For example, I know from my own experiences with my mother’s chronic illness how this has impacted my life, and yet my interaction with my mother is different than the other members of my family. For my brother, he does not have a medical background, is employed in a stressful job and has a young blended family which demands a lot of his time. As a result, I have more to do with assisting my mother to attend her treatments and appointments because I am a medical professional, work part-time and my children are older and more independent. My mother is very close to my brother, but because he has not been as involved in her medical care, his relationship with her focuses more on her relationships with his children rather than her health issues. Another rationale for choosing this theoretical framework is my agreement with the concept that the “family is more than the sum of its parts” (Kaakinen et al., 2015). The idea supports a view that all the members of the family group make up the structure of this functional unit, but that understanding the relationships between people is what creates
The Family System Theory is based on all family social science frameworks describing an understanding of how a family system is structured. Application of this framework provides the nurse with a holistic approach to examine family dynamics as a whole. “Family Systems Theory is constructed of concepts and the proposition that provides a framework for thinking about the family as a system” (Kaakinen et al., 2015, p.76). Every member is vital to the structure and function of the family unit. My rationale for choosing this framework relates to the shared idea that family is truly an interactive system where the experiences of one individual ending up impacting all members of the group, even though the degree or type of impacts may be different. For example, I know from my own experiences with my mother’s chronic illness how this has impacted my life, and yet my interaction with my mother is different than the other members of my family. For my brother, he does not have a medical background, is employed in a stressful job and has a young blended family which demands a lot of his time. As a result, I have more to do with assisting my mother to attend her treatments and appointments because I am a medical professional, work part-time and my children are older and more independent. My mother is very close to my brother, but because he has not been as involved in her medical care, his relationship with her focuses more on her relationships with his children rather than her health issues. Another rationale for choosing this theoretical framework is my agreement with the concept that the “family is more than the sum of its parts” (Kaakinen et al., 2015). The idea supports a view that all the members of the family group make up the structure of this functional unit, but that understanding the relationships between people is what creates