Use of a family caregiving model to articulate the role of the public health nurse in infant mental health promotion.
Public health nurses (PHNs) have dedicated their efforts to promoting the health and welfare of mothers, infants, and children, receiving little recognition for the mental health promotion benefits they provide to these populations. The purpose of this article is to describe the contributions of PHNs to the promotion of mental health in infants and their families. The Family Caregiving Model (Zerwekh, 1991) is used to identify the strategies used by PHNs to promote infant mental health within vulnerable families. Using a case study format, the authors describe these strategies and the competencies and skills needed by PHNs to assess for cues in infants and their parents that may indicate the potential for unsuccessful attachments.
Collins
A M
AM
Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA. acollins@atlas.nursing.wayne.edu
Reinke
E
E
D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003463:Cues; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D016294:Models, Nursing; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000379:methods; D002666:Psychology, Child; D011637:Public Health Nursing / Q000379:methods*