Family Systems Theory In Nursing

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Stress in the workplace always has been and will be a major issue in any field of work. Whether it is on a sales floor or on a nursing unit, stress in the workplace is prominent. There are many causative factors that lead to why the amount of stress has increased over the years. However, the main priority in regards to workplace stress is finding ways to manage and rid the area of it. The last thing a nursing unit would need is for there to be factors that can alter the proficiency of patient care. As a nurse, it is our duty to ensure that we are administering the proper care and education to our patients in effort to increase their quality of life. If caregivers continue to work in environments that hinder their ability to practice at their …show more content…
Although overlooked, there are benefits of theoretical framework implementation in the workplace to adequately deal with stress levels. Before correcting the problem, one must first assess the origins of it. The family systems theory allows for us to do just that (Hanson, 1997). As mentioned, Bowen 's Family System Theory can be applied to the world of nursing. To begin with, a family is complex but the nature of the relationships within the family can mirror ones of coworkers in a nursing unit. The spontaneous nature of humans as a whole coupled with interactions amongst this crowd of people creates the perfect breeding ground for stress (Hanson, 1997). A family is a system and a system is defined as followed, "relationships with balancing forces and counter forces in constant operation" (Hanson, 1997). As shown through the definition specified by Bowen and Hanson, the nursing unit is a perfect example of what has been described …show more content…
Mentally, nurses need to be able to “think on their toes” and be prepared to answer questions that patents or relatives may have. Unfortunately, nurses get overwhelmed and forget to take time out to think about caring for themselves. However, the article “The Impact of Stress Management on Nurse Productivity and Retention” by authors Tammi F. Milliken, Paul T. Clements and Harry J. Tillman, state ways that nurses can manage their stress in a healthy manner. They conclude that stress management can be beneficial for mental, emotional, and physical health of the nurse.
A key component to managing stress is learning to relax. Milliken et al. (2007) states “Conversely, nurses who implement various stress-coping strategies exhibit fewer mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and feelings of inadequacy”. Using self-soothing techniques that apply to the nursing environment and easily utilizable on the job are beneficial. (Milliken, T. F., Clements, P. T., & Tillman, H. J. (2007). For example, breathing techniques and thinking of things that have a relaxing effect when one feels oneself becoming tense at work

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