The impact of a family systems nursing approach: nurses' perceptions

Relationships between nurses and families form the foundation of effective nursing practice. This article describes a study of medical-surgical nurses' perceptions of the impact of a Family Systems Nursing Continuing Education Project (FSNP). Four major themes emerged from the study: 1) reduction in family crises during acute hospitalizations; 2) increased efficiency and productivity of discharge planning; 3) increased family involvement in multidisciplinary conferences with nurse-family interactions described as collaborative; and 4) improvement in nursing competence and confidence while caring for families. Implications for clinical practice, continuing education, and research are presented.