Skip to ContentGo to accessibility page
OpenStax Logo
Population Health for Nurses

Introduction

Population Health for NursesIntroduction
Figure 28.1 Caring for families requires community health nurses to take a holistic perspective that considers the characteristics and beliefs of the individuals within a family and the family’s cultural and socioeconomic context. (credit: modification of work “Family Walking in Medano Creek” by Patrick Myers/Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve/Flickr, Public Domain)

Chapter Outline

Introduction

Dianah, a community health nurse employed by the district health department, is preparing for a home visit with her client, Serjay, who is on a ventilator and has a poor prognosis. Serjay has a large family consisting of his parents, three brothers, one sister, and extended family. The family must make end-of-life decisions. However, the family dynamics are strained. Some family members believe the client should be placed on comfort care, and others want more time. Dianah can see that each side loves Serjay and only wants the best for him, but she frequently ends up mediating family discussions. Nurses often work with complex client family dynamics, especially when clients are nearing the end of their lives.

Dianah’s work is typical of community health nursing. Nurses in this field must care for both the individual and the family. Families come in all shapes and sizes, with different risk factors, economic backgrounds, and resources. Nurses must apply a holistic perspective for health promotion, illness prevention, and illness management to individuals, families, and the population. With a focus on the family as client, this chapter describes the functions of the family, frameworks of practice nurses use when caring for the family, conducting a family assessment, and family violence.

PreviousNext
Order a print copy
Citation/Attribution
Reuse and redistribution of this content in digital or print format:
  • This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's prior written permission.
  • This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License, which means that you can reuse and modify the material only for noncommercial purposes, must attribute OpenStax, and must distribute any derivative works under the same license.
  • Any commercial printing of this textbook, including using a local or custom printer, must be approved by OpenStax, and proper citation provided.
  • OpenStax-copyrighted images, activities, assessments, and similar components of this book are subject to the same licensing – CC-BY-NC-SA. They can be used for noncommercial purposes with attribution. Commercial use requires permission.
  • Permission requests: Anyone who intends to incorporate this content (including text, images, and other components) into large language models, use it in AI offerings, use it commercially (including in print), and/or has questions about another use case is welcome to complete our reuse request form.
Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a noncommercial print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/population-health/pages/1-introduction

  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a noncommercial digital format, then for every page that includes OpenStax content, you must license the derivative work under the same CC-BY-NC-SA license as the original, and include on every digital page view the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/population-health/pages/1-introduction

Citation information

The information below includes the information needed to generate citations in most major styles (APA, MLA, etc.); you must reformat and organize the information as needed to fit the requirements of the style. Use the information below to generate a citation. We recommend using a citation tool such as this one.

© Apr 23, 2026 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License. The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo, and Rice University name, and Rice University logo trademarks, or wordmarks are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.