The IFNA Family Nursing Practice Committee, chaired by Dr. Kathryn Anderson, USA, is pleased to share the findings of the IFNA.FAMILY NURSING PRACTICE Survey.2011.final report The survey was circulated to 110 IFNA members in 2011 and 22 responses from 12 countries were received. To increase representation from other geographic areas, articles published in the Journal of Family Nursing that described family nursing practice were mined by Committee members for additional answers to the 7 survey questions. Overall, the IFNA Family Nursing Practice Survey 2011 revealed that family nursing is still a work in progress. Models and theories to guide family nursing practice are well developed and used with success. Publications that support the description and benefits of family nursing practice are growing. Family as unit, family-centered care, and community care focused on families is successfully implemented in numerous settings by nurses, but often support for care and attention to the family is dependent on the government care model and leadership in the practice setting rather than an accepted care imperative.
The findings of the IFNA.FAMILY NURSING PRACTICE Survey.2011.final report direct the IFNA and its members to transform family nursing practice around the world by directing leadership and resources to support further scientific development of family nursing interventions, clarify family nursing education for generalist and specialist roles, identify practice competencies, conduct knowledge translation research, and courageously advocate for family focused nursing care to become a reality in health care settings around the world.