NUR3306 Deliverable 4

Examples of standard pedigree symbols include the following:

The symbol for the client that is the central focus of the family history is called a proband and will have an arrow pointing toward it. The proband is drawn toward the bottom of the page since older generations’ information will be placed above it. Siblings are drawn next to the client, placed older (left) to younger (right). Each sibling symbol gets an individual vertical line drawn up from it, and then the individual lines are connected by a horizontal line called a sibship line (NHGRI, n.d.).

The next step is to add the client’s parents’ symbols above the client. Parent symbols connect with a horizontal line, called a relationship line, and then connect with a vertical line to the sibship, called a line of descent (NGHRI, n.d.). Next, the client’s aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews can be added, as well as the necessary information for the third generation line with symbols and information for the client’s grandparents (NGHRI, n.d.).

Roman numerals depicting each of the three generations (I, III, III) can be placed on the left next to each of the generation lines, with the oldest generation numbered first. Symbols in each generation row are numbers in numerical order from left to right (Berry, Workman, & Eggert, 2018).

Genogram symbols are added to depict psychosocial aspects of relationships. Some examples of standard genogram symbols include the following:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Emotional-relationships.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Family_relationships.png

Information from the pedigree and genogram is not static and should be updated as needed if family information changes related to new medical diagnosis or deaths. The data from the pedigree and genogram provide a visual depiction for consideration of interrelated physical and psychosocial conditions that can provide insight into disease patterns. Identification of patterns of risk for inheritance provides foundational information in developing a healthcare plan for prevention.

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