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Kristin Swanson's Theory Of Care Theory

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Abstract
Perinatal loss can be one of the most traumatic and painful experience a mother and family can go through. The aim of this paper is to explore Swanson’s Middle Range caring theory and its application in family centered care when dealing with clients experiencing a perinatal loss.
Introduction
Having a baby die, whether in the womb or during birth can be the most tragic and heart breaking experience parents and nurses’ face. A nurse’s knowledge of the best way to respond to each unique situation of perinatal loss to help the mother and family cope effectively is critical to provide a holistic family centered care. Perinatal death is defined as the combination of stillbirth and neonatal fatalities in the first week of life (WHO). Nurses …show more content…

Often, when thinking about a labor and delivery unit, excitement and joy are the first things that come to mind; nurses are familiar with this aspect of care; however, in the case of perinatal death providing care to the mother and families can be challenging and an emotional role for nurses. This paper will be describing the five processes of Kristin Swanson’s Middle- Range Theory of care when dealing with families that have experienced a perinatal loss, the importance of care and compassion when dealing with families experiencing perinatal loss and the application of Kristin Swanson’s Middle Range Theory in nursing Practice to provide a safe competent family centered care.
Swanson’s Middle Range Theory of caring suggests five therapeutic processes that define caring: Knowing, being with, doing for and making belief (Swanson, 1991). Swanson’s theory explores the concept of caring both from the mother and the nurses’ perspective (Swanson, 1991). The first therapeutic process in Swanson’s Middle Range caring theory is …show more content…

Establishing a relationship with the mother and the family is key in this process (Jansson & Adolfsson, 2011). One of the way’s nurses can build relationship with the mother and family is through Relational practice, this requires the nurse’s ability to integrate both the patient’s healthcare and personal needs and an understanding of a patient’s personality, values, culture, religion and past medical and emotional history (Doane & Varcoe, 2007). During the traumatic and painful experience of perinatal loss mothers and family often feel powerless and often do not take care of themselves. A nurse can help the mother and the family by providing basic physical needs such as food and drink. In a study conducted by Jansson & Adolfsson (2011) one of the mothers that participated in the study stated that she appreciated the simple gestures provided by the health care team. Furthermore, in a study conducted by Rini and Loriz (2007) parents who experienced displays of caring had a profound long lasting positive effect on their experience surrounding perinatal loss indicating the positive after effect caring has on families experiencing perinatal loss. In Swanson’s Middle Range Caring Theory, the “enabling” process emphasizes the importance of maintaining confidence in the ability of the mother and family to survive and get through the event; the nurse’s appreciation of the difficulty of coping for

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