OVERVIEW OF GORDON’S FUNCTIONAL HEALTH PATTERNS 1
Overview of Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns
Alicia A. Kuntz
School of Nursing, Liberty University
Author Note
Alicia A. Kuntz
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Alicia A. Kuntz
Email: aakuntz@liberty.edu
OVERVIEW OF GORDON’S FUNCTIONAL HEALTH PATTERNS 2
Overview of Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns
Theories provide purpose by stating the focus of practice, specific goals, and outcomes
(McEwen et al, 2018). The use of nursing theory provides structure and organization to nursing
knowledge and a systematic way of collecting data that explain, describe, and predict nursing
practice (McEwen et al, 2018). Nursing theory improves coordination and leads to less
fragmented care (McEwen et al, 2018). One well known middle range nursing theory is
Gordon’s Function Health Patterns. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of this
nursing theory, an exemplar, and application of this nursing theory to practice.
Overview of Nursing Theory
Functional Health Patterns was developed by Marjory Gordon. Marjory Gordon
graduated from Mount Sinai Hospital of Nursing and went on to get her BSN, MSN, and PhD in
nursing from Boston College (Gordon, Marjory, PhD, papers and MEMORABILIA, 1946-2015).
Marjory Gordon taught at Boston College and her leading interest in research “was the
development of tools to assist nurses with diagnosis” (Gordon, Marjory, PhD, papers and
MEMORABILIA, 1946-2015). Marjory Gordon developed the Functional Health Patterns and
published her Manual of Nursing Diagnosis in 1982 (Gordon, Marjory, PhD, papers and
MEMORABILIA, 1946-2015).
Gordon’s Function Health Patterns is a systematic tool to be utilized by nurses in
conjunction with nursing diagnosis. The Function Health Patterns provides structure for the data
that is collected ensuring that it is a comprehensive assessment. This allows the nurse to then
develop nursing diagnosis from the assessment data gathered. These components together can
further be utilized to develop care plans. The Function Health Pattern is composed of 11
OVERVIEW OF GORDON’S FUNCTIONAL HEALTH PATTERNS 3
functional components: health perceptions and health management, nutrition and metabolism,
elimination, activity and exercise, cognitive and perception, sleep and rest, self-perception and
self-concept, roles and relationships, sexuality and reproduction, coping and stress tolerance, and
values and belief.
Health perceptions and health management is information that is collected that focuses on
health and practices for sustaining health (Functional health patterns assessment guidelines,
2016). The focus of assessment is on the overall general health and examples of information to
be collected is any recent illness, alcohol/ cigarette use, immunizations, allergies, surgeries,
medication use, medication knowledge, and expectations of care (Functional health patterns
assessment guidelines, 2016).
Nutrition and metabolism component of the Function Health Pattern is focused on food
and fluid intake, nutritional needs, skin, oral health, and weight. Examples of assessment data
include height/weight, typically diet, any supplements taken, appetite, discomfort when eating,
any oral issues, and skin and nail conditions like dryness or lesions (Functional health patterns
assessment guidelines, 2016). The elimination component is focused on bowel and bladder
patterns. Assessment data to be focused on is frequency, consistency, urgency, retention,
discomfort, discharge, and laxative use (Functional health patterns assessment guidelines, 2016).
Activity and exercise components of the Function Health Pattern focus on the activities
of daily living and energy expenditures. Assessment questions are structured around exercise,
self-care activities such as bathing, dressing, feeding, cooking, and home maintenance
(Functional health patterns assessment guidelines, 2016). Addition assessment questions for this
component are leisure activities, and issues with energy levels, any shortness of breath, or
changes in heartbeat with activity (Functional health patterns assessment guidelines, 2016).
OVERVIEW OF GORDON’S FUNCTIONAL HEALTH PATTERNS 4
The cognition and perception component assess orientation, memory, vision, hearing, and
pain. Assessment questions are structured to focus on hearing and vision difficulties, any use of
adaptive devices, cognition including memory issues, difficulties with sentence making, or
decision making; and pain existence and management techniques (Functional health patterns
assessment guidelines, 2016). The sleep and rest components of the Functional Health Pattern
focus on rest, sleep, and relaxation. Assessment questions include sleep patterns and quality of
sleep; any napping, use of sleep aids or medications, and rituals used to help with sleep
(Functional health patterns assessment guidelines, 2016).
The self-perception and self-concept component focus on attitudes about oneself.
Assessment questions are centered around body image, sense of self-worth, and feelings like
anger, anxiety, or sadness (Functional health patterns assessment guidelines, 2016). The roles and
relationships component of the Functional Health Pattern are assessment of one’s role in the
world and personal relationships. Questions are focused on family structure, family dependence/
responsibilities, decision maker within the family, work relationships, friendships, and
involvement within community verses isolation (Functional health patterns assessment
guidelines, 2016).
The sexuality and reproduction component concentrates on satisfaction of sexual patterns
and reproductive functions. Assessment questions concentrate on menstruation, fertility, use of
contraception, sexual dysfunction, and partners (Functional health patterns assessment
guidelines, 2016). The coping and stress tolerance component of the Function Health Pattern
focus on stress levels and coping mechanisms. Assessment data to be obtained include any recent
changes, any recent crisis, and coping mechanisms used for example speaking with friends,
therapy participation, medications used, or drug and alcohol use (Functional health patterns
OVERVIEW OF GORDON’S FUNCTIONAL HEALTH PATTERNS 5
assessment guidelines, 2016). The values and belief component focuses on what is important to
them, what do they want for their future, values used for decision making, any religious beliefs
and practice needs (Functional health patterns assessment guidelines, 2016).
Exemplar
When a new admission would come into the Long-term Acute Care Hospital (LTACH)
we would do a comprehensive initial assessment. The initial assessment started with getting
currents vitals, height, weight, and pain assessment. The pain assessment asked the patient about
character, onset, location, duration, associated factors, and what helps to alleviate pain. Allergies,
medical, and surgical history were discussed. It also asked about any recent vaccinations
including flu and pneumococcal. The next section of the assessment was neurological. This
section assessed orientation, LOC, vision, hearing, and any use of aids such as glasses or hearing
aids.
This next section of the initial assessment was cardiovascular. The assessment data
collected looked at skin and mucous member conditions. We assessed heart rate, rhythm,
capillary refill, edema, and IV access. The next section assessed was respiratory. We collected
data on respirations, lung sounds, oxygen, shortness of breath, and current treatments. The next
section in the assessment was gastrointestinal in this section we collected data about teeth,
dentures, dysphagia, abdomen sounds, bowel movement including frequency and consistency.
The gastrointestinal section also assessed nutrition including current diet and any alterations like
thickened liquids and any assistance that maybe needed.
The next section of the initial assessment was genitourinary. This section collected
information about urinary frequency, burning, discharge, devices used. This section also
OVERVIEW OF GORDON’S FUNCTIONAL HEALTH PATTERNS 6
collected information on intake and output and genitalia including LMP. The next section of the
initial physical assessment was musculoskeletal. In this part of the assessment the data collected
was mobility, need for assistance with ADL’s, assistive devices, and fall risk. The next section of
the assessment was integumentary. In this section the data collected was in depth assessment of
the skin including any wounds surgical, pressure ulcers, or other. The last section of the
assessment was psychological and spiritual. In this section overall behaviors of the patients were
assessed. Religious preferences and language spoken were assessed.
Application of Theory
The comprehensive assessment data collected on the initial assessment of each patient
allowed me to create a comprehensive nursing care plan. Our standard initial nursing assessment
assessed many of the Function Health Patterns. For instances going over medications and
medical history is part of the Health Perception and Health Management Pattern. Collecting this
data would allow me to know if knowledge deficit nursing diagnosis was appropriate for this
patient and then care plan this education.
Another example would be if the patient has issues with mobility or changing position
then I knew they were at risk for skin breakdown or maybe they already had a wound. This
would be assessed as part of the Nutrition and Metabolism Pattern. Then as the nurse I could care
plan for frequent turning, off loading techniques, or other appropriate interventions. By assessing
the elimination patterns, I gathered information about whether the patient is continent or
incontinent and could care plan for frequent toileting or other appropriate interventions.
Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns are applicable to the whole nursing process. It provides a
systematic way to gather data that then can be further developed into nursing diagnosis and care
plans. Nursing diagnosis “are made by professional nurses that describe actual or potential health
OVERVIEW OF GORDON’S FUNCTIONAL HEALTH PATTERNS 7
problems which nurses, by virtue of their education and experience, are capable, and licensed to
treat” (Gordon, 1976, p. 1299). The use of this framework allows nurses to generate nursing
diagnosis, design patient or family centered interventions, and evaluate outcomes (Jones, 2012).
Conclusion
Many different nursing theorists have developed theories that have influenced and shaped
the nursing care practice that we see today. One of these well-known nursing theorists was
Marjory Gordon. Her work has impacted the way nurses collect data and the development of
nursing diagnosis had profound changes on the nursing profession. This paper provided an
overview of Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns and gave examples of how this nursing theory
is still applicable to practice today.
OVERVIEW OF GORDON’S FUNCTIONAL HEALTH PATTERNS 8
References
Functional health patterns assessment guidelines. (2016, June 12). Retrieved February 4, 2021,
from https://nursekey.com/functional-health-patterns-assessment-guidelines/.
Gordon, M. (1976). Nursing diagnoses and the diagnostic process. The American Journal of
Nursing, 76(8), 1298-1300. https://doi.org/10.2307/3424002
Gordon, Marjory, PhD, papers and MEMORABILIA, 1946-2015: Icahn School of medicine.
(n.d.) Retrieved February 5, 2021, from
https://icahn.mssm.edu/about/ait/archives/collection/marjory-gordon.
Jones, D., Duffy, M. E., Flanagan, J., & Foster, F. (2012). Psychometric evaluation of the
functional health pattern assessment screening tool (FHPAST). International Journal of
Nursing Knowledge, 23(3), 140-145. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2047-3095.2012.01224.x
McEwen, M., & Wills, E. M. (2018). Theoretical basis for nursing (5th ed.). Lippincott Williams
and Wilkins.
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