A Family Systems Nursing Interview Following a Myocardial Infarction: The Power of Commendations

Abstract

The onset of life-threatening or chronic illness irrevocably changes the trajectory of the lives of individuals and their families. The beliefs held about the illness may affect the way individuals and family members cope with the illness as well as the illness itself. The illness beliefs model proposes that a therapeutic conversation that includes the identification of, assessment of, and intervention with constraining beliefs about illness may have a powerful and sustaining influence on individuals' and family members' ability to integrate illness into their lives. The authors present a therapeutic conversation that occurred during two sessions in the Family Nursing Unit at the University of Calgary, with a woman experiencing “feeling overwhelmed and stressed” 6 weeks following the diagnosis of a myocardial infarction. Highlighted is one family nursing intervention, commendations, which shows promise in challenging constraining beliefs that may diminish the perception of strengths and increase suffering.