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Biomedical subjects

L K Martell

Publications and source records attributed to L K Martell.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Maternity care during the post-World War II Baby Boom: the experience of general duty nurses.

The purpose of this study is to describe maternity nursing during the post-World War II Baby Boom from the perspective of general duty nurses. During the Baby Boom, maternity care changed with medical advances and the highest birth rate ever in the United States. This study provides insight into the impact of context on nurses' work experiences. Seven general duty postpartum or nursery nurses were interviewed about their nursing experiences during the Baby Boom. Constant comparative analysis was used to synthesize the transcripts of the interviews into in-depth descriptions of participants' work experiences. The large numbers of mothers and babies in their care, the prevailing concerns for infections, and paternalism influenced these nurses' work. Expectations about and by the nurses as well as work relationships contributed to the nurses' acceptance and rejection of changes in care of mothers and babies.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Is Rubin's "taking-in" and "taking-hold" a useful paradigm?

Rubin's "taking-in" and "taking-hold" model has been a dominant paradigm for postpartum nursing. To determine whether "taking-in" and "taking-hold" apply to contemporary hospitalized postpartum women, I conducted a repeated measures survey of 95 women with uncomplicated postpartum courses after vaginal births during their hospital stay. "Taking-in" and "taking-hold" were measured with the Martell Postpartum Questionnaire-Revised (MPQ-R), a paper-and-pencil instrument. An expert panel established the content validity of the MPQ-R in this study. Cronbach's alpha for the two subscales ranged from .40 to .60, a result of skewed distribution of items or lack of variability in scores. The participants were neither "taking-in" nor "taking-hold." The distribution of the participants' responses was similar to each others' and indicated that their postpartum experiences included some aspects of both "taking-in" and "taking-hold." Despite the limitations of the MPQ-R and the research methods, the findings suggest that Rubin's theory has limited usefulness for postpartum nursing of contemporary women.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Rubin's "Puerperal Change" reconsidered.

A preliminary study was conducted to examine if healthy new mothers exhibit Rubin's "Taking-in" and "Taking-hold" behaviors and attitudes and if these behaviors and attitudes change during the course of hospitalization. Twenty subjects were surveyed on each postpartal hospital day at a large, west coast urban hospital. While the women exhibited some of the behavior and attitude changes, the findings do not support the specific time aspects described by Rubin. Implications for nursing practice, education, and research are discussed.

Attitude↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The hospital and the postpartum experience: a historical analysis.

In the United States, use of hospitals for childbearing started in the early 19th century for women who did not have suitable homes. Since then, the purpose and structure of hospital-based postpartum care changed several times. The trend toward shorter stays began almost 50 years ago. Although the economy was a driving force both now and 50 years ago, the purposes for changes were different. Knowing the history of postpartum care gives insight into the state of care at the turn of the millennium.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Heading toward the new normal: a contemporary postpartum experience.

OBJECTIVE: To describe contemporary women's postpartum experience. Previous descriptions, especially Rubin's taking-in and taking-hold, may no longer apply in this era of 24- to 48-hour hospital stays. DESIGN: Qualitative descriptive, using grounded theory methodology. Participants were interviewed about their postpartum experiences. Constant comparative analysis of the interview transcripts was concurrent with data collection. SETTING: Interviews were conducted in participants' homes during the 1st week after childbirth and again 1 to 2 weeks later. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-two first-time mothers, who vaginally delivered a full-term infant, were recruited through childbirth education classes. RESULTS: The major theme that emerged was Heading toward the new normal, a process through which the participants began to reorient their lives as mothers. The supporting categories were Appreciating the body, Settling in, and Establishing a new family. CONCLUSIONS: The participants' postpartum psychosocial development was a continuous process without discrete stages and phases. This finding differs from Rubin's puerperal change theory. With this new theoretical description, nurses can develop more effective care for contemporary child-bearing women.

Adaptation, Psychological↗