Family health nurse

Family health nurses receive specialist education in order to help individuals and families cope with illness, chronic disability or times of stress. They spend a large part of their time working in patients’ homes and with patients’ families. Such nurses give advice on lifestyle and behavioural risk factors, and assist families with health matters. Through prompt detection, they can ensure early treatment of families’ health problems. With their knowledge of public health and social issues and other social agencies, they can identify the effects of socioeconomic factors on families’ health and refer them to the appropriate agency. They can facilitate early discharge from hospital by providing nursing care at home, and they can act as the lynchpin between the family and the family health physician, substituting for the physician when identified needs are more relevant to nursing expertise.