Conducting a family strengths assessment using the Australian Family Strengths nursing assessment guide.

Abstract

The Australian Family Strengths Nursing Assessment (AFS nursing assessment) that I constructed is designed to provide nurses with a range of questions across the eight qualities of Australian family strengths (Smith 2008). These eight qualities of family strengths were identified by Australians as being important to them. In developing the assessment questions under each quality for the AFS nursing assessment guide the language that Australians used to describe their family and how they interact together has been faithfully used. The AFS nursing assessment can help you encourage conversations with a family across the eight qualities of family strengths. This I hope will be a generic strength of the tool. However as the local health professional living and working in the community, you know how best to talk with your fellow locals and any adaptation of the questions to suit local need can be easily carried out.