#Medical genogram symbols software#

The use of genograms is becoming increasingly popular in many other fields such as genealogy, psychology and social work and also various domains of business. There are also genograms in the domain of culture, ethnic and racial identity and social classes, as well as spiritual and religious identity. The diagram is currently used in family nursing practice. Its primary assumption was to serve community and family nursing practice. The graphic presentation of family relationships in nursing education dates back to the 1980s, when it began to be taught at the Department and Institute of Social Nursing of the Medical Academy in Lublin under the supervision of Professor Zofia Kawczyńska-Butrym. Genograms were made popular in 1985 by psychologists Monica McGoldrick and Randy Gerson when their first book 'Genograms in Family Assessment” was published as a practical guide on the application of genograms in clinical practice.

A number of attempts were made to standardize the symbols used for family diagrams in healthcare, and these endeavours were joined by family physicians and nurses. In 1972 a genogram was defined as ' a schematic diagram of the three-generational family relationship system”. In 1966 Bowen established the symbols commonly applied for genograms. Genograms were developed by Murray Bowen, a psychiatrist and family therapist, in 1950s and 1960s with the support of the Institute of Mental Health and the Georgetown Medical Center. The significance of family history information in the context of healthcare began to be appreciated by practitioners in the previous century. The history of genograms in healthcare services

#Medical genogram symbols software#

However, software should be developed and disseminated to facilitate the creation and management of genograms. It has a high research potential, facilitating nursing diagnosis and the choice of the optimum care procedure. Genograms can be used as a research tool for all patients. Results and Conclusions: Including the use of genograms in nursing education makes nurses' activities in the area of disease prevention and health promotion based on this tool the primary and least expensive form of healthcare. In May 2018 database searches were performed using the key word 'genogram', including the PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL and Scopus databases. Material and Methods: A systematic review, analysis and summary of information found in the available literature with the authors' suggestions for supplementation. Objective: To present genograms as a valuable tool used for nursing instruction to be applied in working with families. The study also discusses the rules of constructing a genogram, its advantages and possible weak points. Genograms have been used in nursing education and practice, mainly by family nurses, since 1980s. The study presents the history of genograms and a general overview of symbols used for constructing them.

Introduction: A genogram resembles a genealogical tree, but it differs in that it takes into account family structure, ties and relationships, and also health and social problems in a family.