Chapter 1: A framework for maternal and

child health nursing

 Obstetrics
- care of women during childbirth
- Greek word obstare = “to keep
watch.”
 Pediatrics
- Greek word pais = “child.”
 Preconceptual and prenatal care
- essential contributions to the health
of a woman and fetus and to a
family’s emotional preparation for
childbearing and childrearing.
 Nurse’s role
- promoting healthy growth and
development of the child and family
in both health and illness
 Full scope of nursing practice
- a continuum: maternal and child
health nursing
 Primary goal of MCN [Goals – broad]
- the promotion and maintenance
of optimal family health to ensure
cycles of optimal childbearing and
childrearing
 Scope of practice
- range of services and care that may
be provided by a nurse based on
state requirements
- Range of practice:
i. Preconceptual health care
ii. Care of women during three
trimesters of pregnancy and
the puerperium (6 weeks
after childbirth; ~4th
trimester of pregnancy)
iii. Care of infants during the
perinatal period (6 weeks
before conception to 6
weeks after birth)
iv. Care of children from birth
through adolescence
v. Care in settings as varied
(birthing room, pediatric
ICU, and the home)
