To determine the score for salience, the nurse evaluates the fanuly's perception of the condition or problem. As a general rule the family's concerns. fell needs :md/or readiness increase the score on salience. Scoring After thl:! score for each criterion has been decided on, the number is divhlcd hy the highest possible score in the scale. The quotient is multiplied by the weighl indicated for the criterion being considered. Then the sum of the scores for all the criteri. i is taken. The highest score is five (s), equivalent of the total weight. The nun,;e considers as priority those conditions and prnblems with tota J scores nearer fi\·~ (5). Thu~. t J,c higher the score of a given cond. ition or problem the more likely ii is tnkcn a~ n pdority. With the available scores, the mrrse then rru,ks health conditions r Lnc. l problems accordingly. Formulation of Goals and Objectives of Care A goal is a broad desired outcome toward which behavior is directed. An example of statement of goal in family health nursing practice is: After nurslnn lnte Tventlon the famllywlll be able to take care of the disabled Ghlld c,empetently A cardinal principle in goal setting states that goals must be set jointly with the family. This ensures the family"s commitment to their Tealization. ]3;"1sic to the establishmen t of mutually accept. ible goals is the family"s recognition and acceptan ce of existing lwallh needs and problems. The nurse must ascertain t J1e family's knowledge and acccptnnce of the problem as well as the desire lo take actions to resolve them. This is done during the assessment phase. Barriers to joint goal settfog between the nurse and the family include the following: 1. Failure on the part of the family to perceive the ex. istence of the problem. In many instances the problem is seen only hy the nurse while the fomily is perfectly satis Aed with the existing situation. An examp)I;! of this is the threat posed by intproper waste disposal. Many families especially in the rural areas, have no sanitary toilet facilities. But to i:;ome fo mil ies this is ao problem at all since there is the wide open field, the bush or Llw river which can serve t J1e same purpose. 2. The family may realize the existence of a health condition or problem but is too busy al the moment with other concerns and preoccupations. For example, a mother may perceive the need for immunization for the children but her household chores take precedence over other concerns. 3. Sometimes the family perceives the existence of a problem but does not see it ns serious enough to warrant attention. Tbe common cold is a condition that is all too often taken for granted. The same is tn1e with intestinal parasitis m which is commonly regarded as a normal condition in childhood. 4. The family may perceive the presence of the problem and the need to 81 