A nurse is performing a family assessment for a client who has recently developed paraplegia following a stroke. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

A. Determine how the client views the concept of a family: Understanding the client’s personal definition of family helps the nurse identify who the client considers significant for support and involvement in care planning, ensuring a patient-centered approach. B. Identify how culture influences family functioning: Cultural influences are important in understanding family dynamics, but assessing the client’s perception of family comes first. Culture shapes interactions, but only after the nurse knows who the family members are from the client’s perspective. C. Determine if the client has an external support system: Knowing about external supports is valuable, but this information is secondary to identifying the client’s family structure and relationships. Support systems can be assessed once the family context is clear. D. Identify how the family deals with unexpected health changes: Assessing coping strategies is necessary for planning interventions, but it should occur after the nurse has first established who comprises the client’s family and understands their roles.