Dr Veronica Swallow PhD, MMedSci, RSCN, RGN is Associate Professor in Child, Young Person and Family Healthcare at the University of Leeds, UK, and the
International Family Nursing Conference (IFNC) 12 Country Liaison Coordinator for Europe (except Portugal/Spain) Japan, South Africa and member of the IFNC12 Conference Planning Committee
What is a family? Ideas about this may differ but our goals as nurses are generally similar. Whether working with adults, children or young people, we are concerned with people’s health and well being. As clinicians, educators, researchers or a combination of these we are interested in the needs and preferences of people who are part of a family unit.
Family units take many forms but the form does not indicate how healthy the family or family members are, or how they function as individuals or as a unit. The family form is merely the physical makeup of the family members in relationship to each other (Webster Dictionary 2010). So a global meeting of Family Nurses is a wonderful opportunity to learn from each other, and return home better prepared to support the people we work with or on behalf of.
So, what do Family Nurses do? At a fabulous event 18th to 21st Aug 2015 in Denmark around 500 Family Nurses from around the world will meet to share Family Nursing knowledge and experiences http://internationalfamilynursing.org/2015/01/12/registration/; why not join us in person or via Social Media Twitter #IFNC12; Facebook to find out what we are discussing.
Under the leadership of Professors Kathy Knafl and Janet Deatrick (both highly respected Family Nurses and the Conference Co-Chairs) we and members of the other IFNA committees have been privileged to be part of a mammoth exercise to pull together a truly fascinating and varied Programme of presentations, posters and social events. This promises to be an inspiring, educational and enjoyable event for all. The IFNC12 is our opportunity to promote and enhance Family Nursing and Healthcare wherever we live and work.
Reference: Webster’s New World Law Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey