--1. Make the learning 11C:tivc by providing opportunitie s for 1he family I<> do sp1:cifi1: adivitics, ;111swe1· que.. :lions or 11pply leilrning in solving prohl1:m s. Provide cnnur;h nppnr LUnil 'ics to practice p,:rforming the skills such :-1s menu plnnning, prcpa rnlion of men ls and fecdi ng a malno11rished member. 2. Ensure c:larity in 11:aching. IJ!1C words.. cx;1mples, visual 111alerials and lrnnd()ul s Iha! the family c:111 u11derstand. In t,;;1ching skills, 1·lie nurse must first d1:sc:rihe lhc skill: (n) explainin g why it is impor1:111 t; (I>) whon it $hnuld h<> 11so,d, :ind; (c) the sl,1gcs orstqis in performing th1; Hkill. Aft(,lr dcs1:.-ihi11g the 1,kill, the 11ursc: must demonslnolc it cnn-ectly, explr1ining ench stcp ns,;he i~ demonstniting and cmphasbdng important points (Ahlwtt, pp. fi76o). 3. Ensure adequate evaluation, feedback, monitoring and suppurt for sustained action hy: (a) explaining well how the family is doing; (11) ~iving the n<:cr~. s,;;1ry nffir111:i\ir111 s or n,;,ssur:m,·e..~; (c:) explaining how the i;kill can l>c irnprnved; :,nrl. {d) exploring with the family how modificalions cnn he c:1rricd nut w maximize situnt. ed possibilities or best options avaik1blc lo the family. MAXIMIZING CARING POSSIBILITIES Effective nursing of fomilic. c; can put a great dem:md on the resources uf the nurse to a point when she may feel complete physic,d, mental and cm C>tiona l depletion. 111is is n reality in family nursing pruc:tice which makes routine and prncedure-o.-iented activities like recording, giving injections, taking blood pressures, and housekeeping tasks more attractive and convenic:nl lo make herself busy with. However, the essence of nursing is caring. In the foce of a family's t:annict, confusion or hclplc.,;. sness, the nurse shares hr,r cxpcrti. c;c and cmotinni,J/psychnl()gic:,I Sl Trmgth 11s family members learn to develop competencies t<> manage health conditions or problem s. Unless the nurse has acquired sucb a phil,Jsc,phy of caring, commitme nt to excellence in nursing practice will always remain an elusive ideal. Philosophy and commitmen t are, therefore, ingredients of effei:tive nursing practice. Another challenge in family nursing practice is the difficulty in operationa lizing family-centered care. Nursing care of individual family members in the home setti J1g is, oftentimes, the nurse's idea about family nursing practice. It is quite common that nurses offer only lip service to the concept that the whole family is affected by and is affecting its individu al memhers. Il requires a broad knowledge hase on the behavioral science-, forrhe nurse to understand and concrctizc 1·he c<>ncc_,pt of dynamic: interchange between family members in the achievement of health and family clevelupment goals. An<Jlher source of the diffie11lty in operationali :>:ing family-centered care is the narure ancl magnitude of family concerns and hea Ith problems. Often ti mes health problems encountered hy families art: huge:, complicated by a number of variables such as socio-cultur al nnd cc. onornic factors. In lhe fllce nf such complications the nurse feels helpless to the p(>int of withdrawing from the opportun ities to work,vith families as clients. Considering sueh a ui Jficulty of identifyi11g the scope ()f help that the 1. Lurse can provide, guidelines and tools can develop her skill in breaking down health and nursing problems into manageable units of attack. Problems in working with families are sometime. ~ due to wrong definition of health or nursing problem. This may be a consequence of improper collection or erroneous interpretation of cues, data c)r fact!;. The nurse may lack the training or skill in observing, 103 