Caregiving and Jurisprudence: A Sociolegal History of the Family and Implications for Nursing

This study examines the sociolegal construction of the family, its impact on informal caregiving, and the implications for family nursing. Nurses were among the first healthcare workers to recognize the family as a crucial site of growth, development, and recovery from illness. Despite widespread endorsement of family-centered principles, actual practice often falls short of ideals, and there is limited empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of family-based interventions. Through analysis of historical, legal, and sociological sources, this study argues that nursing has not reckoned with the family's transformation from a public entity into a private repository of dependency care. The findings suggest that family nursing would benefit from greater attention to the legal, gendered, and economic dimensions of the family.