Gordon's 11 Functional Health Patterns: Assessment of a Family
Jennifer Rannells
Grand Canyon University
Family-Centered Health Promotion

Patricia King
May 02, 2013

Gordon's 11 Functional Health Patterns: Assessment of a Family
Health promotion is at the center of healthcare today. Healthy People 2010 provides a framework for health promotion and prevention of disease. Gordon’s 11 functional health patterns provides a foundation for gathering information through assessment of the individual and family which helps to identify lifestyle patterns. These patterns help to guide nursing diagnoses and interventions for actual or potential problems to promote health and wellbeing (Edelman & Mandle, 2010).
This paper will outline two to three questions for each pattern used to assess the family and interpret the findings of a family assessment using Gordon’s 11 functional health patterns. The family interviewed consists of a husband and wife and their adolescent daughter. A brief summary of the findings for each health pattern will be discussed. From this information, two wellness and family diagnoses will be developed and presented.
Summarize Findings for Each Functional Health Pattern
1. Health Perception-Health Management Pattern
In this first patter, the family could identify a primary care physician and reported that each member has annual wellness checks. Exploration of healthy behaviors regarding diet and exercise revealed healthy patterns. The sleep pattern practices were the same, although the husband reports he is unable to get a full night’s sleep and feels fatigued and un-rested most of the time. There were no unhealthy behaviors identified in relation to smoking, drug or alcohol use or risky lifestyle behaviors.
2. Nutritional Metabolic Pattern
The family reports that due to work and school schedules, breakfast and lunch are eaten at different times and placed for each individual, although the husband and wife do eat breakfast and lunch together several times per week. Dinner is always eaten together as a family with very few exceptions. Meals are prepared from scratch and are low sodium due to the husband’s diagnosis of Meniere’s disease. Consequently, processed foods are not part of their regular diet.
3. Elimination Pattern
Assessment of the elimination patterns did not reveal any changes in bowel movement habits nor was there any reports of diarrhea or constipation. No urinary issues were reported. The family states that there is weekly garbage removal at the curb side of household waste. When asked regarding litter in the neighborhood, the family states that there is often litter present in the street and sidewalk which they collect and dispose of about twice per month. The family play an active role in keeping their neighborhood litter free.
4. Activity-Exercise Pattern
The husband and wife engage in regular exercise three to four times per week for thirty minutes or more. The daughter does not have any regular exercise regimen. Screen time use for the husband and wife different from that of the daughter. The adults screen time included mainly computer for work and school related activities while the daughter’s screen time use included computer, TV and other hand held devices which accounted for over two hours per day for approximately three to four days per week. Activities that the family does together for fun include nightly walks with their dog, bicycling and gardening.
5. Sleep Rest Pattern
All family members go to bed at the same time, but rising times differ according to work and school schedules. Depending upon rising times and sleep disruption or disturbance, sleep hours range from less than six to nine or ten hours. The daughter generally gets nine hours sleep while the husband rarely gets more than six undisturbed hours of sleep. The mother receives six to nine hours of sleep depending on work schedule.
6. Cognitive Perceptual Pattern
Most information is acquired through the daily newspaper, weekly and monthly publications, as well as, the internet. If an occasion arises that a family member may need medical attention, it is discussed and decided on as a family. The family appears well versed in accurate healthy lifestyle choices and risk factors which is evidenced by their diet and activities and the use of helmets by all family members when bicycling.
7. Self-Perception-Self-Concept Pattern
Positive assets offered by the wife includes providing home cooked meals and is a positive role model regarding proper diet, exercise, balancing family, school and work schedules. The husband is also a good role model regarding diet, exercise, outdoor activities and participation in their daughter’s extracurricular activities. The daughter offers enthusiasm for fun and crafting, and receives high grades in school. The general tome or feeling of the family is warm and friendly
8. Roles-Relationship Pattern
The husband is self employed and works mainly at home while his wife works full-time, outside of the home. Household chores are shared, while the daughter’s responsibilities are minimal, they are age appropriate. All members agree that the daughter is capable of taking on more chores at this time. Problems are handled as a family unless it is not appropriate to include the daughter in such matters. The family states that there is never any shouting among the adults when there is a problem or dispute.
9. Sexuality-Reproductive Pattern
Sexual subjects are discussed between mother and daughter. An open dialogue has been well established and daughter states she feels she can approach her mother on any subject. The husband and wife have a loving relationship and not report any discontent with relationship or sexual relations with each other.
10. Coping-Stress Tolerance
The most recent stressful event was the illness and passing of the daughter’s paternal grandmother who lived seven hours away. All family members reported being able to verbalize worry and anxiety especially when the husband went to care for his mother leaving his family for two weeks. His absence created a hardship for his wife and daughter. Frequent communication helped to alleviate anxiety and offer emotional support between all family members. Most support is provided from within the family but outside help was available and utilized during this time. There were no maladaptive behavior associated with stress presented by the family.
11. Values-Beliefs Pattern
When asked what ethnic background the family identifies with, the answer was simply, “American.” Family traditions included celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, birthdays and other holidays such as the Fourth of July and Memorial Day. Values and beliefs included: always try to do our best, try to see the good side of things, try to always be truthful to each other and that hard work pays off in the end.
Nursing Diagnoses
There were two wellness and family nursing diagnoses identified. The first diagnoses relates to the daughter under the activity-exercise pattern.
Wellness: Readiness for enhanced activity-exercise pattern
Risk: Risk for altered metabolic function Actual: Diversional activity deficit, evidenced by excess screen time limiting other regular physical activity or exercise (Weber, 2005).
The second diagnoses was for the husband under the sleep-rest pattern.
Wellness: Readiness for enhanced sleep
Risk: Sleep deprivation
Actual: Sleep deprivation as evidence by receiving less than six hours of sleep on most nights and the constant feeling of exhaustion (Weber, 2005).
Conclusion
Gordon’s 11 functional health patterns provided a framework for assessment of the individual and of the family. The five areas of focus within these patterns included individual-environmental, age-developmental, functional and cultural characteristics (Edelman & Mandle, 2010). Through the use of Gordon’s framework, a thorough assessment of the family was completed and two wellness and family diagnoses were established. Gordon’s tool was effective in providing a framework by which actual or potential problems were identified in order to provide nursing diagnoses in an effort to promote health and wellbeing.

Addendum
Family Assessment Questions
Health Perception-Health Management Pattern
1. Where does the family go for wellness and sick visits and how often do all family members receive wellness checks?
2. What healthy behaviors, such as diet (number of meals per day), exercise, and sleep (number of hours) does the family practice?
3. What unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking drug and alcohol use or negative/risky lifestyle behaviors does the family engage in? Nutritional –Metabolic Pattern
1. How many meals are eaten together as a whole family?
2. How are your meals prepared? Elimination Pattern
1. How often does each family member have bowel movements and has there been any change from your usual pattern?
2. Does any member have trouble urinating, has pain upon urination or has to frequently urinate which becomes disruptive to sleep?
3. do you have regular waste disposal of household trash and is your neighborhood litter free? Activity-Exercise Pattern
1. How often does each family member engage in regular exercise per week and for how long?
2. What are each members screen time habits (hours per day) which includes TV, computer and video games?
3. What activities does the family engage in to have fun? Sleep-Rest Pattern
1. What are the sleep patterns related t bedtime and rising?
2. How many hours of sleep does each member get each night?
3. Does any member have sleep disruption?
Cognitive Perceptual Pattern
1. How do family members acquire information?
2. How do family members decide when to seek medical attention?
3. how accurate is the information used regarding lifestyle choices and risk factors? Self-Perception-Self-concept Pattern
1. What positive assets does each member off to the family?
2. What is the general tone or feeling of the family? Roles-Relationships Pattern
1. Who is employed outside of the home?
2. How are the household chores distributed among family members?
3. How are problems handled? Sexuality-Reproductive Pattern
1. How do the adults communicate sexual subjects with the daughter?
2. How do the husband and wife view their sexual relationship and are both partners satisfied with current relationship? Coping-Stress Tolerance Pattern
1. In the past, what stressful event has the family encountered and how was it handled?
2. does support for stressful situations come from within the family or is outside support available and utilized?
3. Are there any maladaptive behaviors associated with stress? Values-Beliefs Pattern
1. What ethnic background does your family identify with?
2. What family traditions do you practice?
3. Can you outline some of your values and beliefs?

References
Edelman, C., & Mandle, C. L. (2010). Health promotion throughout the lifespan (7th ed.). St. Louis: Mosby.
Weber, J. R. (2005). Nurses’ handbook of health assessment (5th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.