Thus, the family coping index means

the measurement of the family’s capacity to

Purpose:
deal with the problems associated with the
• To provide a basis for estimating the health care.
nursing needs of a particular family.

NOTE: The following points should be kept in

The objective of this indicator is to present mind when we use the family coping index:
bench mark for approximating the nursing
• It is the coping capacity being rated not
needs of a particular family – thus the FAMILY
the problems.
COPING INDEX
• It is the family but not the individual being
a) It is the coping capacity and not the rated.
underlying problem that is being rated
Health Care Need
b) It is designed to record the family rather
than individual coping capacity A family health care need is present when:
c) In public health nursing, the family cannot
• The family has a health problem with
be seen as a factor that affects health,
which they are unable to cope.
rather, the family is the patient.
• There is a reasonable likelihood that
nursing will make a difference in the
family’s ability to cope.
• Family coping index comes under non-
physical assessment of the family
nursing process. Relation to Coping Nursing Need
• This is the scale, which helps the
COPING may be defined as dealing with
individual to assess the need of nursing
problems associated with health care with
care to the particular family.
reasonable success.
Meaning:
When the family is unable to cope with one or
It is the tool used to assess the family’s another aspect of health care, it may be said to
coping index have a “coping deficit”

Coping means dealing with problems

associated with health care and index means
measurement of something.
Direction for Scaling statement, which tells us the need of nursing
care is obtained.
Two parts of the Coping index:

1. A point on the scale

2. A justification statements The result statement is limited to three points:

• Mildly need of nursing care.

• Moderately need of nursing care.
The scale enables you to place the family
in relation to their ability to cope with the nine • Fully need of nursing care.

areas of family nursing at the time observed and

as you would expect it to be in 3 months or at
the time of discharge if nursing care were
provided.
General Considerations
1) It is the coping capacity and not the
underlying problem that is being rated.
2) It is the family and not the individual that
is being rated.
3) Rating should be done after 2-3 home
visits when the nurse is more acquainted
with the family.
Justification
A brief statement that explains why you
have rated the family as you have.
These statements should be expressed
in terms of behavior of observable facts.
Example: “Family nutrition includes basic foods
rather than good diet.”
Terminal rating is done at the end of the
given period of time.

The justification consists of brief statement

This enables the nurse to see progress
or phrases that explain why you have rated the
the family has made in their competence;
family as you have.
whether the prognosis was reasonable; and
The scale helps one to place the family in whether the family needs further nursing service
relation to their ability to cope with the nine and where emphasis should be placed.
areas of Family Nursing at the time of
Scaling Cues
observation.
The following descriptive statements are
Each area has its own grade, to be estimated
“cues” to help you as you rate family coping.
by the observation of the particular factors in
particular area.

At the end, the sum of all the scores is

compared with the score range by this
They are limited to three points: 2) Therapeutic Competence

1 or no competence, This category includes all the procedures or

treatment prescribed for the care of ill, such as
3 for moderate competence, and
giving medication, dressings, exercise and
5 for complete competence. relaxation, special diets.

Areas to Be Assessed Family either not carrying No competence

1) Physical independence out procedures prescribed
or doing it unsafe
This category is concerned with the
ability to move about to get out of bed, to taken
Family carrying out some Moderately
care of daily grooming, walking and other things but not all of the treatments Competence
which involves the daily activities.

Note that it is the family competence that Family able to Complete

is measured even though an individual is demonstrate that they can Competence

dependent if the family is able to compensate for carry out the prescribed

this. procedures safely and

efficiently
The family may be independent however,
3) Knowledge of Health Condition
the quality as well as quantity of ability is
important. This system is concerned with the particular
health condition that is the occasion of care
Family failing entirely to No
provide personal care to Independence Totally uninformed Unsatisfactory

its members about the condition or Knowledge

Family providing partially Incomplete misinformed

the needs of its members Independence Has some knowledge Satisfactory

or proving care for some of the disease or Knowledge

members but not for condition but has not

others grasped the

All family members Complete underlying principles

receiving necessary care Independence Knows the salient Good Knowledge

to maintain health and facts about the

personal hygiene disease well enough

to take necessary
action at proper time
 4) Application of the Principles of Family resents and resists Unsatisfactory
General Hygiene all health care, has no Attitude
confidence in doctors
This is concerned with the family action in
uses patent medicines
relation to maintaining family nutrition,
Accepts health care to Satisfactory
securing adequate rest and relaxation for family
some degree, but with Attitude
members, carrying out accepted preventive
reservations. Ex: - Accept
measures, such as immunization.
need for medical care for
Family diet grossly inadequate or unbalanced, illness but not preventive
necessary measures
Immunizations not No Application Understands and Good Attitude
secured for children, recognizes need for
house dirty, food medical care in illness and
handled in an for usual preventive
unsanitary way services
Failing to apply some Moderate
general principle of Application 6) Emotional Competence
hygiene for instance
This category has to do with the maturity
secure initial
and integrity with which the members of the
immunizations but not
family are able to meet the usual stresses and
boosters or some but
problems of life, and to plan for happy and
not all available
fruitful living.
immunization
Household runs Complete Family does not face No Competence
smoothly, family Application realities, assume
meals well selected, moribund patient will get
habits to sleep and well
rest adequate to Family members usually Moderate
needs do fairly well but one or Competence
5) Health Attitudes more members evidences
lack of security or maturity
This category is concerned with the way the
All members of the family Complete
family feels about health care in general,
able to maintain a Competence
including preventive services, care of illness and
reasonable degree of
public health measures.
 emotional calm, face up to 8) Physical Environment
illness realistically and
This is concerned with the home, the
hopefully
community and the work environment as it
affects family health.
7) Family Living
House in poor condition, Unsatisfactory
This category is concerned largely with the unsafe, unscreened, Environment
interpersonal with the interpersonal or group poorly ventilated
aspects of family life – how well the members of neighborhood
the family get along with one another, the ways deteriorated, no playing
in which they take decisions affecting the family space except streets
as a whole. House need some repair Satisfactory
or painting but Environment
Family consists of a group Unsatisfactory
fundamentally sounds
of individuals indifferent or
House in good repair, Good
hostile to one another or
provides for privacy for Environment
strongly dominated and
members and is free of
controlled by a single-
accident and best hazards
family member, no control
of children
Family gets along but has Satisfactory 9) Use of Community Facilities
habits or customs that
Generally, keeps appointments. Follows
interfere with their
through referrals. Tells others about health
effectiveness or
departments services
coherence as a family
Family cohesive does Good Family has obvious and No Usage

things together each serious social needs, but

member acts for the good has not sought or found

of the family as whole any help for them

children respect parents Family knows about or Moderate Usage

and vice versa uses some but not all of

the available community
resources that they need
Family using the facilities Complete
they need appropriately Usage
and promptly know when
and whom to call for help