Page 228 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

FuNCTIONAL HEALTH PATTErNS n 195

generation of evidence and patient-centered individual, family, or community. data from
outcomes research. research on formal all 11 FHPs are assessed within the context
nursing languages provides a means toward of age and stage of development, culture and F
using computer-based systems to achieve ethnic background, current health status, and
the ultimate outcomes of high-quality care environment. Each individual FHP reflects a
delivery and improved health and quality unique response to a particular health/ill-
of life. ness experience.
A health pattern may be described as
Suzanne Bakken functional, potentially dysfunctional, or dys-
Jeeyae Choi functional. A FHP is both mutually exclusive
and interactive, reflecting a holistic perspec-
tive. Often, data obtained about one pattern
may be best understood in relation to infor-
Functional health mation assessed in other patterns. Behaviors
(cues) obtained during an FHP assessment
patterns can be used to generate and support a tenta-
tive nursing hypothesis (e.g., nursing diagno-
sis). To identify a clinical judgment (nursing
Functional health patterns (FHP) provide diagnosis), data from all 11 functional pat-
an organized framework for assessment terns must be obtained and synthesized.
that reflects the disciplinary perspective Clinical judgments are described as a state-
of nursing and integrates concepts linked ment of probability rather than a causal state-
to the focus of the discipline including ment. The more evidence that is obtained
health, caring, consciousness, mutual pro- during assessment to support a clinical judg-
cess, patterning, presence, and meaning as ment, the greater the confidence in the judg-
described by Newman, Smith, Pharris, and ment. The nurses’ confidence in a judgment
Jones (2008). The typology of the 11 FHPs is enhanced by the amount of evidence pro-
identifies and defines each pattern under the vided by assessment data.
following categories: (a) health perception– Historically, assessment tools were
health management, (b) nutritional meta- developed to evaluate and monitor clini-
bolic, (c) elimination, (d) activity–exercise, (e) cal populations. Frequently, they duplicated
cognitive–perceptual, (f) sleep–rest, (g) self- information obtained by the medical teams.
perception–self-concept, (h) role–relationship, The lack of a consistent nursing assessment
(i) sexuality–reproductive, (j) coping–stress framework resulted in the collection of an
tolerance, and (k) value–belief (Gordon, inadequate database and limited the infor-
1994, 2010). mation available to make an accurate nurs-
rodgers (2006) states that nurses share ing judgment. This compromised nursing’s
the same values about persons in that they visibility and contribution to patient care
are whole, dynamic, relationship-centered, outcomes. The National League for Nursing
and complex beings with physical, emotional, was the first to support a movement away
spiritual, and social dimensions. The FHP from nursing’s task focus to one that was
assessment integrates these dimensions into patient-centered and problem-based. Forty
each assessment and provides a structure to schools of nursing participated in a survey
examine the whole person as well as behav- that generated a classification list of nursing’s
iors and responses within each pattern over 21 problems (Abdellah, 1959). Later, in 1966,
time. Subjective and objective data obtained Henderson classified 14 basic needs related
during the assessment of each health pat- to patient care. This work focused on the
tern facilitate pattern construction for the identification of human needs, articulated