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548 UNIT V Middle Range Nursing Theories

Funding for PHN Health Care Childbirth/
Research
Promoting BAM
Maternal-Child Minors Abuse
Facilities
Parenting
Therapeutic Relationships
Society at Large Laws Affecting Laws Defining Infant Caregiving Instruction Classes Facilities Worship
Safety
Recreational
Community
Aid to Dependent Children WIC Mother-Infant Interaction Focused Education Places of Child Care

Social Role Preparation
Mother-Infant Attachment Promotion
F
Centers
M BAM I Services & Social Protective
Laws Affecting Childbearing Decisions Group Support

Maternal Physical Recovery
Maternal Care-of-Self Promotion Affirmation as
Continuity
Maternal Well-Being Promotion Mother
of Cultural
Customs
Family
Continuity
Support
Physical & Social
Knowledge & Skills
Family & Friends
FIGURE 27-4 Interacting environments that affect the process of becoming a mother. (From Mercer,
R. T., & Walker, L. O. (2006) Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 35(5), pp. 570–581.)

Attainment. Through practice and research, she ob- textbooks and have been used in practice by nurses
served adaptation to motherhood from a variety of and those in other disciplines. Both the theory and
circumstances. She noted that differences existed in the model are capable of serving as a framework for
adaptation to motherhood when maternal illness com- assessment, planning, implementing, and evaluat-
plicated the postpartum period, when a child with a ing nursing care of new mothers and their infants.
defect was born, and when a teenager became a mother. The utility of Mercer’s theory in nursing practice
These observations directed the research about those is described and illustrated by Meighan (2010) in
situations and the subsequent development of her the- Chapter 17 of the fourth edition of Nursing The-
ory. Changes to her original theory have been based on ory: Utilization & Application by Alligood. Mercer’s
more recent research and deductive reasoning coupled theory is useful to practicing nurses across many
with her belief in continually improving the clarity and maternal-child settings. Mercer (1986a, 1986b) linked
usefulness of her theory. her research findings with nursing practice at
each interval from birth through the first year, mak-
Acceptance by the Nursing Community ing her theory applicable in a variety of pediatric
settings.
Practice In addition, Mercer’s theory has been used in
Mercer’s theory is highly practice oriented. The con- organizing patient care. Concepts in the research
cepts in her theory have been cited in many obstetrical conducted by Neeson, Patterson, Mercer, and May