Genogram and Ecomap: A Comprehensive Analysis for Family Nursing

This report provides an overview of genograms and ecomaps, focusing on their applications within family nursing practice. The report begins by defining the components of a genogram and an ecomap, explaining how they graphically represent family structures, relationships, and external influences. It then delves into the practical uses of these tools, highlighting their roles in assessing family dynamics, identifying potential health risks, and informing the development of tailored treatment strategies. The discussion covers how nurses utilize genograms and ecomaps for screening, counseling, and research, emphasizing their importance in holistic patient care. The report also examines how these tools facilitate communication and collaboration among family members and healthcare providers, leading to improved patient outcomes. Finally, the report references relevant literature to support its claims, providing a comprehensive understanding of genograms and ecomaps in the context of family nursing. This document is contributed by a student and is available on Desklib, a platform offering AI-based study tools.

Running head: GENOGRAM AND ECOMAP
GENOGRAM AND ECOMAP
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author’s name

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Civil engineer
Plumber
Teacher
Doctor
Psychologist
Architect
Dialysis Nurse
GENOGRAM AND ECOMAP
Msih
42
Naziy
38
Shoku
72
Peyman
48
Mary
46
Ava
30
Izak
70
Zoli
68
Amir
42
Lili
36
Iman
32
Figure 1: Genogram
Figure 2: Eco-map

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Components of genogram:
The above genogram represents a family tree by giving information about the family
members throughout the generation. The basic components of a genogram helps to analyze a
family and identify social and emotional relationship within a group. It is also used to recognize
the hereditary tendencies and patterns of a family. The above genogram gives data on the family
members and their relationship to each other. Males are represented by square and females with
circle and the relationship between them is represented by an arrow connecting them. It can also
be noted from the genogram that both the grandparents (maternal and paternal) have deceased,
however, it does not show any disease or cause of their death. The ecomap provided here gives
information on personal and social relationship among the family members and also helps in
determining the connections with the outside world. It gives more detailed information on the
family members that helps to discover the possible sources or causes of different disorders
among the family members like depression and anxiety. The ecomap provided here implicates
the economic condition of the family by determining and analyzing the entities of the individual
family members.
Applications of genogram in family nursing practice:
Genogram represents a family tree that not only gives a pictorial or graphic
representation of the family, but also considers family structure, relationship with each individual
of the family, the social and health problem of the family, family history and background that
helps to construct an idea on the family and helps the nurses to develop and implement treatment
strategies by accessing all the healthcare needs of the family members. Genograms have been
used by the family nurses since 1980s that helped the nurses in the area of disease prevention and

3GENOGRAM AND ECOMAP
health promotion (Piasecka, Slusarska & Drop, 2018). Genogram help the nurses to use it as a
research tool that facilitates nursing diagnosis and to deliver optimum and quality care.
Genogram gives information on family history that helps the nurses to develop strategies
and prioritize care plan. It also helps to determine the likelihood of developing any chronic
diseases that was genetically carried by the ancestors and therefore direct the nurse to plan
strategies in order to prevent the occurrence of diseases and promote health (Souza, Bellato,
Araújo & Almeida, 2016). The aim of using genogram in nursing practice is to facilitate
community and family nursing practice (Piasecka, Slusarska & Drop, 2018). Genogram can be
used as screening tool for patients to ensure enhanced nursing care considering the behavioral
and genetic factors and aspects of the family embers which are usually difficult and time
consuming if asked one by one. Constructing a genogram simplifies the process and facilitates an
effective and quick screening to identify the family pattern and background. Genogram and
ecomap are used widely in family counselling that helps to observe relationship among the
family members and record the patterns that have been passed from one generation to the other.
Due to the flexibility offered by genogram, it is used to explain and understand family problems
and to facilitate planning and development of education strategies on health to prevent disease
and promote health (Launer, 2017).
Genogram and ecomap enables a continuous and effective flow of information regarding
their health needs that help to comprehensively understand the family and helps the family nurse
to develop and implement effective strategies addressing the healthcare needs of the family
members (Souza, Bellato, Araújo & Almeida, 2016). It facilitates the family nurse to deliver
quality care following a holistic approach to care. The above genogram show that the

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grandparents have died, however, their cause of death was not mentioned. Nurses can identify
the cause of death and educate the family on their likelihood of developing any diseases carried
genetically by the family members and help the family in taking effective measures to prevent
the particular disease. For example, if one of the paternal grandparents has died because of
severe diabetes, the new generations are also susceptible to developing the condition of diabetes.
Family nurse can develop strategies to prevent the occurrence of diabetes by carrying out
effective measures (Piasecka, Slusarska & Drop, 2018).
Genograms and ecomap are also used to identify the psychological heath of the family
members and directs the nurses to implement strategies suitable for the family members. This
enable nurses to incorporate a patient centered, comprehensive and holistic approach in their
assessment and care planning process to get an effective and quality outcome. Nursing education
by using a genogram supports and enables a holistic approach to care by comprehensively
understanding and accessing the patient’s physical and psychological needs. Genogram can also
be used as a research tool for the patients since it contains all the information about the patient
required to comprehensively understand them which is the primary and most important step to
achieve an improved health outcome of the patients and promote health by giving them care
from every aspects (Piasecka, Slusarska & Drop, 2018).

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References:
Launer, J. (2017). Why doctors should draw genograms–including their own. Postgraduate
medical journal, 93(1103), 575-576. Doi: 10.1136/postgradmedj-2017-135241
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. Doi: 10.4172/2161-0711.1000640
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). Doi: 10.1590/0104-07072016001530015