Empirical development of a middle range theory of caring.
A middle-range theory of caring was inductively derived and validated through phenomenological investigations in three separate perinatal contexts. Caring was described in Study I by 20 women who had recently miscarried, in Study II by 19 careproviders in the newborn intensive care unit, and in Study III by 8 young mothers who had been the recipients of a long-term public health nursing intervention. The empirical development and refinement of the theory is discussed. The five caring processes and an overall definition of caring are presented. Finally, study findings are compared and contrasted with Cobb's (1976) definition of social support, Watson's (1979, 1985) "carative" factors, and Benner's (1984) description of the helping role of the nurse.
Abstract Selective interventions for areas with high perinatal mortality-rates have been proposed. Measuring the effectiveness of intervention requires prior calculation of spontaneous regression towards the mean. A method is described and applied.