and muttrnlly c. stablishcd g,()n\. s and expectations. Within an ntmo::-phere of respect, trust and belief in nn E. '~alitnrinn robtionship to enhance the fomily"s empowering potential, the famil~·-nur.-e partnen-:hip c:. 111 maximiu e.,1lericntial learning processes such as creating option:::. decon1--'truclinr-mindset,; llr curn:nt 1,·orkh·iews by anal~-✓. ing meani. u~s to gain new insigh~. and/nr rc,1rdt:'1i11g p:H!Prns and n,lat;onships in original w;,,ys that result in fresh rn..-nnin~s, expando:>d,,·11\"S of thinking. :. 111d differ. :!nt,·alues to di,;l·o,·er nt''' inte1-pretalions (tnd e,q~lanntiom: for "·hnl,,·as pre,;n11sl~-thought of as fixed :md absoluh· l Dtnham :. !t10:~ pp. 1~. 2;6 :md 280). Chnpters :~ and-1 focus 011 how to facilitate these proct:'sscs or crtali11g. d,-,·on:<tmr-tinf.. and reconstructing e.,-perienc.-. s. meauiugs. difforcnt valul"s arnl expa11<led w-ays of thinking to help Lhc fami. ly systematically handle the chall<!nges of going Lluough beh;nior change. NURSING ASSESSMENT: OPEIRATIONAL FRAMEWORK Nursing assessment is t. he fir. ;l major phnse of the nursing. process. In family he;,ilth nursing pmctie:e. Lhis imol Yes a set of actions by \\'hich the nur. se deten11ines U,e,;;talus of the farnil\" as n client. its ability to maint"in itself m; a sy~lem and funcnon_ing-tlll_it, and its abili~· to maintain well JJess. pre\·ent. control or resoln: p1·oblems in c>1·der to achieve heal1J1 ~md well-being among its m~111ben;. Datu about Lile present cow. litio11 or st-Jtus of t J,e family nre i;ath-ered and anal~-. :c J lmsecl 011 how frunily dynamic s. realities. possibilitie:-.,,,d,·11lnernbilities generate the antecede nts or factors associated \\i Lh health nnd illness e:,,perienre5. Utilizing Lhcoreticnl models to understand the char. icteris tics and beha,ior of the family as a functioning unit and cli. ent. the operational miruewo rk for assessme nt. ;:is described in this chapter. focltse. s on_ types of a~e..--sment dnta tu ge-nerate. method and tools to collect these data, and finally, application of the Family Health Tasks Perspective in determini ng family health nursing problems associated ";ti, speci Jk health conditions or problems. Nursing a!'Sessment includes data collection. data analysis or interpretation and problem definition or nursing diagnosis. Nursing diagnos. is i:-the end result of two maior c-.-pes of nursing assc.-<smcot in fatnily nursing practice baserl on the framework us~d in. this book. These are: (1) fir,:t-level assessment : (2) second-level assessment. First-le\'e J assessment is a proct;"SS whereby d:ita ::ihout the current health stntus of inch,..;dua l members. the family ns a ~-$tem and its environment are compared ;1gai11st norms or standards of persooa l. socfr1l aud em;i:ou,nental health and inlen\ctions/ interpersnnnl relationships,,ithin the family system. As end result of data analysis during the first-Ie,·el nssessment. specific health conditions or problems are identified and categorized as: (1) wellness srate/s; (:c1) health threats; (3) health deficits; and (4) stress points or foreseeab le crisis sit11ations (see T;ihle 2. 2). Second-level assessment, on the othel' hand, specifies the nursing problem s that the family encounters in performing the health tasks with respect to a given health condition or problem, and the cam,es, barriers or etiology or the family's in;ibility to perform the health task. These two le\'els of assessment specify a hierarchy of two sets of <la ta and their nnalyses. They reflect depth of data gathering and analysis on what health conditions or problems e. >. ist (first-levd assessment ), and why each health condition or problem related v,rith maintaining health or wellness e:-. ists. The latter is stated as explanation about the family's problem related lo maintainiug health/wellness, managing henlth problems/ illness experience, or pro\7iding a home environment conducive to health maintenance and personal development (second-level assessmen t). 