From models to measures in assessment of mature families

Although assessment of families as guided by nursing conceptual models is gaining impetus in the field of nursing, the incorporation of psychometrically sound clinical research measures into assessment protocols is a relatively recent phenomenon in family health nursing. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to describe an educational approach for students enrolled in a graduate nursing course focusing on mature and aging families. In this course, valid and reliable clinical research measures were incorporated into assessment protocols for practice based on nursing models. Criteria for selection of clinical research measures emphasized appropriateness for nursing assessment of families, age and ethnic relevancy of the measures, strength of psychometric properties, ease of administration and understandability, and potential for delineating nursing diagnoses and nursing intervention foci. The methods used to incorporate this approach into a graduatelevel family nurse clinician course are presented. Theoretical issues include (1) the fit between the selected measures and the nursing conceptual model of choice and (2) the use of individual-focused versus family-focused paradigms. Clinical issues include student involvement in instrument selection, ethical implications of use of the measures, interpretation of data, and sharing of results with families.