External family structure and cohesion: nursing perspectives

The family is recognized as a basic unit in the delivery of many nursing services. The dimensions of its structure and cohesion may be important in the development of many family problems and should be assessed in planning nursing interventions in family-based care. This paper examines the impact of external family structure on the cohesion of a family encountered during a community-based student clinical experience in communications. External structural factors were considered in planning nursing interventions to alleviate stress-related symptoms and conflicts, and to enhance cohesion in clinical work with this family.