Adaptation themes for prenatal care delivered by public health nurses

An adaptation process involving three cognitive themes provides the framework for community nursing model for prenatal care on the island of Hawaii. The themes are based on the cognitive adaptation model developed by Taylor (1983) and include search for meaning, sense of mastery, and self-esteem. Each theme is used to guide public health nurses and is identified during designated encounters between the nurse and woman throughout the duration of prenatal care. A focus on adaptation themes for each trimester of pregnancy expands on the medical model of prenatal care to highlight developmental processes of childbearing and broaden the scope of practice for public health nurses responsible for assessment and intervention in the community.