The Role Of Ecomap and Genogram

Ecomap and genograms plays an important role in the improvement of patient outcome because they are used in discovering the history of a patient. The aim of this paper is to draw a genogram and ecomap of my family and show how they can be used in nursing science. My name is Baby; I am married to my husband Savi. We live together as a family with two kids Jerome -12yrs and Angeleena-11yrs who currently attend school. My husband was diagnosed with diabetes seven years ago.

I have seven siblings, but we do not have our parents. Myfather passed away in January 2010 and mother May 2019. My father suffered from Dementia, was a smoker, had hair loss, and congestive heart failure. I had three elder brothers but the eldest passedawayon August 2005 by accident. I have two older sisters and one younger sister. My husband Savi are five siblingsin their family. Their father passed away in April 2012 after suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes.

Get quality help now

KarrieWrites

Verified writer

Proficient in: Family History

5 (339)

“ KarrieWrites did such a phenomenal job on this assignment! He completed it prior to its deadline and was thorough and informative. ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

His mother is alive and his older brother passed away on December 2009. His younger brother passed way in November 2017. I work as a personal support worker and my husband works as a packing assistant in a factory.

Genograms represent a visual display of a family tree(Piasecka, Slusarska& Drop, 2018). The genogram in appendix II represent my family's gender, type of relation, the direction in which energy moves between relationships, members who are dead and the sickness affecting the members of the family. The male person in the family is represented by a square while female person is represented by a circle.

Siblings in the genogram are represented from the youngest to the oldest from left to right in a genogram. Appendix II shows that the youngest child is Angeleena at 11 years old followed by Jerome who is 12 years old. SinceI am the one telling my story, my immediate family is referred to as the index family in a genogram. In this case, the index family for this genogram is me, my husband and our two children. The dotted lines in the genogram represent a weak connection between the family members. For instance, in appendix II, there is a weak connection between Angelina and her father Savi. The genogram also explains married relationship with couples that live together. For instance, there is a strong relationship between me and my husband Savi. Our parents were also married and live together as presented in the genogram. However, three lines between me and my husband represent a stronger relationship in the genogram. The death of a family member in the genogram is represented by an X through the shape of the circle and square. Accordingto the genogram, six members of the family have died and are represented by an X in their circle and square.

Ecomaps are visual display of formal and informal system in an index person's ecology(Rempel, Neufeld & Kushner, 2007). In this case, my immediate family constitutes the index persons. Appendix I represents squares to show the male members of the family while female members are represented by circles. The circle in the middle represent a sphere of influence in the ecomap. There is a surrounding circle in my family that includes, work, friends, school and extended family. Three lines represent a strong positive connection of the index family to the external environment. However, a single linedenotes a moderate connection between the family members and their external environment. My husband Savihas a moderate connection with his Doctors and healthcare provider because of his diabetic condition. In appendix I, astressful connection has been denoted by a rail-like line showing that Angeleena has a stressful connection with her school. The arrows in the air come off as a sign of direction in which energy flows from the members of the family to their external environment. For instance, Savi’s mother put more energy into the index family and receives the same energy from the members of the family. Jerome puts more energy in school and the school returns the similar amount of energy to him.

Ecomaps and genograms helps health nurses in assessing a patient by identifying the generational patterns and external environment that affects them. In appendix I and II, thereare psychological and emotional factors that affect a patient's healing process. For instance, my husband Savi has lost two brothers and a father hence can be affected emotionally by another loss. Theecomap and genogram in this paper explains the role of grandparents in emotional and psychological support of an index family. A nurse can use this to understand the stress that results from Angeleen’s engagement with school. This assessment involves collaborating with the family to understand the factors outside the patient's environment that affects their well-being(Souza et al., 2016). The generational patterns such as genetic diseases that have affected the index families’ parents are likely to continue in my family. Understanding the relationship between families include studying medical history of diseases such as dementia, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure and diabetes. This can explain the reason for my husband's diabetic condition since this disease has genetic influence.

References

1. Piasecka, K., Slusarska, B., & Drop, B. (2018). Genograms in Nursing Education and Practice a Sensitive but Very Effective Technique: A Systematic Review. J Community Med Health Educ, 8(640), 2161-0711.
2. Rempel, G. R., Neufeld, A., & Kushner, K. E. (2007).Interactive use of genograms and ecomaps in family caregiving research. Journal of Family Nursing, 13(4), 403-419.
3. Souza, Í. P. D., Bellato, R., Araújo, L. F. S. D., & Almeida, K. B. B. D. (2016). Genogram and Eco-map as tools for understanding family care in chronic illness of the young. Texto& Contexto-Enfermagem, 25(4).