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CHAPTER 12 Myra Estrin Levine 211

not explained by the model? This question can pro- Accessibility
vide guidance for continued testing of the model’s Levine used deductive logic to develop her model,
application in nursing practice. For example, as health which can be used to generate research questions. As
care providers use information from the human she lived her Conservation Model, she verified the
genome project, nurse researchers will want to test use of inductive reasoning to further develop and in-
the ability of the model to explain comprehensive form her model (M. Levine, personal communication,
nursing care of the client undergoing genetic counsel- May 17, 1989).
ing. Based on the outcome of testing, hypotheses can
be developed and tested to support the prescriptive Importance
basis of theories developed from the model. The four conservation principles defined in Levine’s
model are recognized as one of the earliest nursing
models used to organize and clarify elements of nurs-
Further Development ing practice. Furthermore, the model continues to
Levine and others have worked on using the conser- demonstrate evidence of its utility for nursing practice
vation principles as the basis for a nursing diagnosis and research and is receiving increased recognition in
taxonomy (Stafford, 1996; Taylor, 1989). Additional the twenty-first century.
work has been done on the use of Levine’s model in
administration and with the frail elderly. The model
was used to develop and test the Theory of Health Summary
Promotion in Preterm Infants based on Levine’s Con- Levine developed her Conservation Model to provide
servation Model (Mefford, 2000; Mefford & Alligood, a framework within which to teach beginning nursing
2011a, 2011b) and has great potential for studies of students. In the first chapter of her book, she intro-
sleep disorders and in the development of collabora- duces her assumptions about holism, and that the
tive and primary care practices (Fawcett, 2000). The conservation principles support a holistic approach to
philosophical, ethical, and spiritual implications of patient care (Levine, 1969a, 1973). The model is logi-
the model are research challenges yet to be realized cally congruent, is externally and internally consis-
(Stafford, 1996). tent, has breadth as well as depth, and is understood,
with few exceptions, by professionals and consumers
Critique of health care. Nurses using the Conservation Model
can anticipate, explain, predict, and perform patient
Clarity care. However, its ability to predict outcomes must be
Levine’s model possesses clarity. Fawcett (2000) states, tested further. Levine (1990) said, “. . . everywhere
“. . . Levine’s Conservation Model provides nursing that nursing is essential, the rules of the conservation
with a logically congruent, holistic view of the person” and the integrity hold” (p. 195).
(p. 189). George (2002) affirms, “this theory directs
nursing actions that lead to favorable outcomes”
(p. 237). The model has numerous terms; however, CASE STUDY*
Levine adequately defines them for clarity. Yolanda is a 55-year-old married African-American
mother of two adult children who has a history
Simplicity of breast cancer. She was diagnosed with fibromyal-
Although the four conservation principles appear sim- gia 2 years ago, following years of unexplained
ple initially, they contain subconcepts and multiple muscle aches and what she thought was arthritis.
variables. Nevertheless, this model is still one of the The diagnosis was a relief for her; she was able to
simpler ones developed. read about it and learn how to care for herself.
Over the past 2 months, Yolanda stopped taking
Generality all of her medicine, because she was seeing a new
The four conservation principles can be used in all physician and wanted to start her care at ground
nursing contexts. zero. In addition to her family responsibilities, she
Continued