This popular book addresses the full practice of family nursingidentifying the family as a wholeand teaches a holistic, philosophical approach. The reader is guided through generalized concepts and theoretical foundations, reality-based applications, case studies, thorough and updated discussions, assessment, and nursing diagnoses. Well-organized and complete, this edition includes foundations in family theory and family nursingessential in preparing a comprehensive family nursing assessment and planning appropriate interventions.A four-part organization covers introductory concepts, theoretical foundations of family nursing, family nursing practice, and cultural diversity among families.For pediatric nurses, nurse practitioners, family counselors, clinical nurse specialists, and anyone planning for a career in family or community cursing.

Marilyn M. Friedman, PhD, MS, MA, RN: Professor Emeritus, School of Nursing, California State University, Los Angeles, California Vicky R. Bowden, DNSc, RN: Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California Elaine G. Jones, PhD, MS, RN: Associate Professor, College of Nursing, The University of Arizona, Tucson

As readers of the fifth edition, we think you will be pleased with the changes and additions that have been made. Much of this is due to the fact that two new co-authors have been added to the text. As the first author, I feel profoundly blessed to have two gifted and caring family nurses join me in updating and enriching the fifth edition's content and presentation. Dr. Vicky Bowden is a well-known nursing author, practitioner, and educator. Dr. Elaine Jones is also very experienced and expert in family nursing education, practice, and research with families with deaf members. Their positive contributions have made revising this text an exciting and very positive endeavor. We each revised about one third of the chapters, but carefully reviewed and made suggestions to the primary revisor on the other chapters to make them more comprehensive and relevant.Great strides have been made in the field of family nursing since this text's inception in 1980 and the additions and changes in this text parallel family nursing's growth. There has been a proliferation of texts in family nursing that contain in-depth discussions of theories, research, and practice. The increase in publications about family nursing; the inception of theJournal of Family Nursingin 1995; the growing incorporation of family nursing into ANA Standards of Nursing Practice, NANDA nursing diagnoses, and the Nursing Intervention Classification (NIC); the holding of national and international family nursing conferences; the continuing activity of the family and health section of the National Council for Family Relations; and the increase in family nursing courses and content in both undergraduate and graduate nursing programs present strong evidence of the development of family nursing as both an integral part of generalist practice and as a specialty area in advanced practice nursing. Moreover, there is a growing consensus that family nursing is conceptually and empirically distinct from nursing of family members. And due to the profound influence of family therapy and the application of systems theory, family nurses are increasingly "thinking interactionally" in their writings and conversations about families and family nursing practice.The text's focus in the fifth edition includes nursing diagnoses and interventions. In this edition, as previous editions, the same basic comprehensive family assessment tool is presented, with some modification. The family assessment model is based primarily on three theoretical perspectives: a systems perspective, a structural-functional perspective, and a family developmental perspective. A multicultural perspective is also integrated throughout.This text is intended for undergraduate and graduate family nursing students and practitioners who are not practicing advanced family therapy or family systems nursing. Advanced family nursing practice requires the completion of a specialized program at the master's level. Hence, we included family nursing interventions that are basic and straightforward; these suggested interventions, although certainly necessary within family nursing practice, are insufficient for working with the very complex family in which more sophisticated, indirect interviewing and advanced counseling skills are required. NEW FEATURES IN THE FIFTH EDITIONIn the fifth edition of this text, the following new features have been added: Content outlines have been added at the beginning of each chapter. A bulleted summary at the end of each chapter highlights the key ideas within the chapter. A glossary containing the major terms used in each of the chapters augments comprehension. More tables and figures have been added to graphically depict key points. As part of the review questions at the end of each chapter, a family vignette has been added, which addresses chapter content and augments critical thinking skills. Chapters a