Nursing Assessment of Families with Young Children: Developmental Screening Tools for Home Use

Abstract

Five assessment tools appropriate for families with young children are discussed. The tools chosen are valid and reliable and adaptable to use within the home setting. The tools identified are: The Brazelton Neonatal Assessment Scale, The Denver II, The HOME Scale, The Family APGAR, and The McMaster Family Assessment Device. With the shift in health care delivery into the community, nurses need to be prepared to complete assessments efficiently and effectively. The tools presented are widely used. None is diagnostic but each serves as a basis for further evaluation when combined with other available data. Each is best used when combined with a comprehensive, primary health care approach that is fundamental to health promotion and early intervention.