title: A theory of health promotion for preterm infants based on Levine's Conservation Model of Nursing.
abstract: The infant born prior to the completion of term gestation faces many challenges in order to merely survive in the extrauterine environment. A preterm birth is also a time of extreme crisis for the family. There is a great need for the refinement of nursing practice models for neonatal intensive care nursing, to assure that the holistic nursing care needs of the infant and family are met. This article describes a new middle range theory of health promotion for preterm infants based on Levine's conservation model of nursing that can be used to guide neonatal nursing practice.
authors.affiliation: University of Tennessee College of Nursing, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
authors.forename: Linda C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Mefford
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016294:Models, Nursing; D020380:Needs Assessment; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D009733:Nursing Diagnosis; D009742:Nursing Theory; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing