The nurse assesses the communication in a family that includes a single mother,a teenage son and daughter,and a grandmother.During the family interview,the daughter answers many questions while the son and mother are quiet and the grandmother is absent.What conclusions can the nurse make about this family?
A) The communication patterns are healthy.
B) The daughter may have a lot of power.
C) The grandmother does not want to be involved.
D) The grandmother may have little power.
E) The mother and son may have a coalition.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Communication theory asserts that patterns of communication within a family reveal much about the way the family functions,the structure of the family,the power base,decision making,affection,trust,and affiliation.Preliminary conclusions the nurse can make about this family are that the daughter may have a lot of power because she answers many questions without input from anyone else,the grandmother may not have much power because she is not even present,and the mother and son may have a coalition opposed to the daughter.The nurse will need to confirm these conclusions with further assessment.These communication patterns are not healthy.The nurse should not assume that the grandmother does not want to be involved but should assess the reason for her absence.

The Nurse Assesses the Communication in a Family That Includes