IFNA

Dr Jenny Waite-Jones discusses International Disability Day

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Given that one in every ten of the world’s children has a disability (1) the International Disability Day offers the opportunity to reflect on how nursing has been transformed from caring for disabled children within institutional settings to its current aim for family nursing. This includes caring for children within their own homes whenever possible. … Read more Dr Jenny Waite-Jones discusses International Disability Day

IFNA President’s Holiday Message

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As 2021 draws to a close, on behalf of the IFNA boardm I wish to thank all IFNA members including the Committees, Chapters and Committee Chairs, and Kassalen Meetings and Events, for your belief in and continual and precious support of IFNA, and for generously giving your time, expertise and wisdom to drive the work of IFNA. Without such support we could not continue advocating so successfully for families and family nurses worldwide.

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New website launched to support family-focussed healthcare in UK and Ireland

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New website launched to support family-focussed healthcare in UK and Ireland COVID-19 has seen more families caring for loved ones with acute illnesses and now Sheffield Hallam University has co-designed a new website dedicated to supporting the role of family-focussed healthcare in the UK and Ireland. Family nursing, midwifery and community care focuses on promoting … Read more New website launched to support family-focussed healthcare in UK and Ireland

Early beginnings

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Dr Kit Chesla DNSc RN FAAN

The development of the International Family Nursing Association (IFNA) is a remarkable story of courage and commitment by a dedicated group of international nurses who were united by a goal to improve the health and wellbeing of families around the globe. My name is Dr. Kit Chesla and I am a Professor Emerita at University of California, San Francisco, Department of Family Health Care Nursing. I was a steering committee member who helped with the early formation of IFNA as a professional organisation (along with. Drs. Bell, Curry & Knafl).

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The vital importance of family nursing and midwifery in the UK and Ireland

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Professor Veronica Swallow, Professor Alison Metcalfe and Professor Veronica Lambert, Chapter Co-leads, reposted from the Evidence-Based Nursing blog, published in March 2020

Nurses and midwives (nurses) play a major role in supporting people across the life-course. Within multi-disciplinary teams nurses support many patients/clients remotely, but patients/clients rely predominantly on family members for home-based support with self-management. Family nursing provides nursing care to the whole family and to individual family members with attention to relationships among members. When one person in a family has health support needs this can bring family role-changes that cause stress to the family unit, while individual family members may struggle to adapt to the altered circumstances.

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National Roundtable Debate

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Professor Veronica Swallow PhD MMedSci BSc (Hons) RGN RSCN

In January 2020, the UK and Ireland IFNA Chapter hosted a National Roundtable Debate at Sheffield Hallam University, UK, to discuss the question: Should nurses, midwives and health visitors use more family focused interventions to actively promote care of patients’ and clients’ families? Before the event, Professor Alison Metcalfe shared a blog to pave the way for the debate. The agenda for the event can be viewed here.

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