COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND ALLIED SCIENCES

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NURSING

Topic 1: Framework for Maternal and Child Health Nursing

LESSON OUTLINE
IMPORTANT TERMS
A. Goals and Philosophies of Maternal and Child Health
Nursing  family-centered  assessment data must include a
B. Maternal and Child Health Goals and Standards family and individual assessment
C. Theories Related to Maternal and Child Health Nursing  community centered  the health of families
D. Roles and Responsibilities of Maternal and Child Nurse depends on and influences the health of
E. WHO’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals communities
 research-oriented  because research is the
means whereby critical knowledge increases.
GOALS AND PHILOSOPHIES OF  nursing theory  theories made to guide nurses in
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH providing care.
NURSING  evidence-based practice  scientifically proven
actions made by researchers to serve as a
guideline in decision making.
• The primary goal of maternal and child health
nursing care can be stated simply as the  advocate  protect the rights of all family members,
promotion and maintenance of optimal family including the fetus.
health to ensure cycles of optimal childbearing  independent nursing functions  responsibilities or
and childrearing. actions that a nurse can do on their own.
 Childbearing process of being  Wholly compensatory  client has no role
pregnant and giving birth to a child.  Partially compensatory  client participates in care
 Childrearing  act of taking care and
raising a child.
 Supportive-educational  client performs own care
The goals of maternal and child health nursing care are
necessarily broad because the scope of practice is so broad. DEFINITIONS AND EXAMPLES OF PHASES OF
The range of practice includes : HEALTH CARE
TERM DEFINITION EXAMPLES
 Preconceptual health care Health Educating parents to Teaching importance of
 Care of women during three trimesters of Promotion follow sound health immunization.
pregnancy and the puerperium (the 6 weeks after practices through
childbirth, sometimes termed the fourth trimester of teaching and role
pregnancy) modeling
 Care of children during the perinatal period (6 Health Intervening to maintain Encouraging women to
weeks before conception to 6 weeks after birth) Maintenance health when risk of be partners in prenatal
 Care of children from birth through adolescence illness is present care.
 Care in settings as varied as the birthing room, the Health Using consciousness Caring for a woman
pediatric intensive care unit, and the home Restoration assessment to be during complication of
certain that symptoms pregnancy such as
of illness are identified gestational diabetes.
Philosophy of Maternal and Child Health and interventions are
begun to return patient
Nursing to wellness most
Maternal and child health nursing is family-centered; rapidly
assessment data must include a family and individual Health Helping prevent Encouraging a patient
assessment Rehabilitation complication from with terminal disease to
Maternal and child health nursing is community illness; continue therapy.
centered; the health of families depends on and
influences the health of communities helping patient with Or a child with renal
Maternal and child health nursing is research-oriented residual effects achieve transplant to continue
because research is the means whereby critical optimal state of necessary medications.
knowledge increases. wellness
Both nursing theory and evidence-based practice
provide a foundation for nursing care. helping patient to
A maternal and child health nurse serves as an advocate accept inevitable death
to protect the rights of all family members, including the
fetus.
Maternal and child health nursing includes a high degree
of independent nursing functions, because teaching
and counseling are so frequently required. Theorist Major Concepts in Emphasis of Care
Promoting health is an important nursing role, because Theory
this protects the health of the next generation. Patricia Benner Caring Relationship Assess as a whole.
Pregnancy or childhood illness can be stressful and can An expert nurse is
alter family life in both subtle and extensive ways Novice to expert able to intuitively from
Personal, cultural, and religious attitudes and beliefs knowledge gained
influence the meaning of illness and its impact on the from practice
family. Circumstances such as illness or pregnancy are Dorothy Subsystems that must Assess effect of loss
meaningful only in the context of a total life. Johnson remain in balance for of function to client as
Maternal and child health nursing is a challenging role for optimal functioning a whole; modify care
a nurse and is a major factor in promoting high-level to maintain function to
wellness in families Actual or potential all systems, not just to

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 COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND ALLIED SCIENCES
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NURSING
Topic 1: Framework for Maternal and Child Health Nursing
threat to system the system that has personality esteem
balance is a nursing the loss of function.
concern Accomplished through
Imogene King Nursing is a process of Discuss with clients interpersonal process
action, reaction, the way they view that includes
interaction, and themselves and their orientation,
transaction illness.; structure care identification,
to help them meet exploitation and
Needs are identified their perceptions. resolution.
based on the client Martha Rogers Purpose of nursing = Help client to make
system, perception, move client toward use of their function
and health optimal health as self-esteem

Role of nurse is to help Nurse should view

client achieve goal client as a whole and
attainment. constantly changing to
Madeleine Essence of nursing is Assess patient’s interact with best way
Leininger care family belief about possible
healing and Sister Callista Role of nurse is to aid Assess patient as a
Transcultural care; incorporate it to care. Roy clients to adapt to whole and their
focuses on study and change caused by ability ; direct nursing
analysis of different illness, levels of care towards
culture with respect to adaptation depend on replacing deficit with
caring behavior. degree of other functions, self
Florence Role of nurse is viewed Turn client’s bed to environmental change concept, role function,
Nightingale as changing or sunlight; provide and state of coping and skills.
structural elements of covers for warmth; ability ; full adaptation
environment to put leave games to includes physiologic
client in best occupy time interdependence,
opportunity for recovery
Betty Neuman A person is an open Assess for stressors
system that interacts such as loss of self A maternal and child health nurse:
with environment esteem and derive
ways to prevent  Considers the family as a whole and as a partner
Nursing is aimed at further loss. in care when planning or implementing or
reducing stressors evaluating the effectiveness of care.
through primary,  Serves as an advocate to protect the rights of all
secondary, tertiary family members, including the fetus.
preventions  Demonstrates a high degree of independent
Dorothea Orem Focus of nursing is Urge the patient to nursing functions because teaching and
individual participate in care by counseling are major interventions.
doing as much for  Promotes health and disease prevention
Clients are assessed in herself as she can because these protect the health of the next
terms of self-care generation.
 Serves as an important resource for families
Care given may be during childbearing and childrearing as these can
wholly compensatory ; be extremely stressful times in a life cycle.
partly; or supportive  Respects personal, cultural, and spiritual
educational attitudes and beliefs as these so strongly
Ida Jean Focus of nurse is Ask the client their influence the meaning and impact of childbearing
Orlando interaction with client main need. Stress and childrearing.
activities should be  Encourages developmental stimulation during
Effectiveness of care allowed to maintain both health and illness so children can reach their
depends on client’s their contact to the ultimate capacity in adult life.
behavior and nurse’s main need.  Assesses families for strengths as well as specific
reaction to that needs or challenges.
behavior  Encourages family bonding through rooming-in
and family visiting in maternal and child healthcare
Client should define his settings.
or her needs  Encourages early hospital discharge options to
Rosemarie Nursing is human Ask the client what reunite families as soon as possible in order to
Rizzo Parse science being sick means to create a seamless, helpful transition process.
them. Allow the  Encourages families to reach out to their
Health is a loved patient to participate community so the family can develop a wealth of
experience in care decisions support people they can call on in a time of family
based on their crisis.
Man-living-health as a response.
single unit guides
practice
Hildegard Promotion of health is Plan together with the
Peplau viewed as forward patient. Encourage to
movement of speak to retain self-

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