Myra Estrine Levine: THE CONSERVATION MODEL

BIOGRAPHY
 Was born on Chicago in 1920
 In 1944, she earned her diploma in nursing from the Cook County School of nursing and went to
complete her bachelor of science in nursing from then University of Chicago (1949)
 Her masters of science in nursing was given to her from Wayne State University in Detroit (1962)
 Known for her publication, Introduction to Clinical nursing, which was first published

Levin’s conservation model is focused in promoting adaption and maintaining wholeness using the
principles of conservation. The model guides the nurse to focus on the influences and responses at the
organismic level. The nurse accomplishes the goals of the model through the conversation of energy,
structure, and personal and social integrity (Levine,1967).

MAJOR CONCEPTS & DEFINITIONS

o Conservation
"Conservation" is from the Latin word conservation, which means "to keep together" (Levine, 1973).

o Adaptation
Adaptation is the method for conserving wholeness (health) and integrity, with the adaptive capability of
the individual critical for retaining organismic integrity in the midst of constant changes within the
internal and external environments (Levine, 1973).

o Organismic Response (Holistic Response)

The adaptive response is an integrated, holistic response that involves the entire bio-psycho-social-
spiritual organism: "The human being responds to forces in his environment in a singular yet integrated
fashion ... in a way which is peculiar to him and to him alone" (Levine, 1966a
Levine (1969b) notes the presence of "at least four levels of protective organismic response, each
physiologically predetermined, and each used to protect the organism so that it may make a viable
adaptation to its environment (p. 95).
1. Response to fear (fight or flight)
These adrenocortical-sympathetic reactions are the most primitive biologic responses, activated
whenever individuals perceive that they are threatened (i.e., perceive an environmental threat),
whether or not a threat actually exists
2. Inflammatory-immune response
As the mechanism that protects the organism from environmental irritants and pathogens, the
inflammatory immune response is a primary mechanism of healing however, it drains energy
reserves
3. Response to stress
Levine (1969b) built on Selye's (1956) model of the adaptive stress response, characterized by
predictable behavioral and biological responses (particularly adrenocortical hormones) to various
nonspecific stressors of life.

4. Sensory response
Individuals experience the perceptual components of the external environment through biologic
sensory stimuli. Individuals are continually immersed in an environmental background of sensory
input that never ceases, even during sleep.

The Four Conservation Principles

Levine proposed four conservation principles to guide nursing care in support of the patient's unique
adaptive efforts to conserve "the unity and integrity of the individual." (1967b, p. 46).

 Conservation of Energy

Levine based her principle of conservation of energy on the concept of energy balance, as stated
in the first law of thermodynamics (from the adjunctive discipline of physics) which applies to
everything in the universe, including people (Levine, 1973, 1989). Levine noted that: "All of life's
processes are fundamentally dependent upon the production and expenditure of energy" (Levine,
1967b, p. 47) Levine noted that adaptive efforts to conserve energy are reflected in many of the
clinical manifestations associated with both illness and healing: "Conservation of energy is
typical of the natural defense against disease processes. Conservation of energy is critical for
health promotion also, because environmental change is constant and the individual must
continually use energy to adapt to stressors.

 Conservation of Structural Integrity

 Structure and function are strongly interrelated, complementary aspects of the human organism.
Therefore, nursing interventions to ensure adequate energy to support the function of life
processes must be balanced by interventions to conserve the normal structure of the body
(Levine, 1967b).

 Conservation of Personal Integrity

Conservation of personal integrity is based on a valuing of self-identity, self-worth, and self-

respect, also reflecting the understanding that "the body does not exist separately from the mind,
emotions, and soul" (Levine, 1967b, pp. 53-54). Nursing interventions to conserve personal
integrity include patient education, promoting patient participation in decision-making and
informed consent for treatments; protection of patient privacy and personal possessions, and
support of cultural and religious practices.

 Conservation of Personal Integrity

Conservation of personal integrity is based on a valuing of self-identity, self-worth, and self-

respect, also reflecting the understanding that "the body does not exist separately from the mind,
emotions, and soul" (Levine, 1957b, pp. 53-54). Nursing interventions to conserve personal
integrity include patient education, promoting patient participation in decision-making and
informed consent for treatments; protection of patient privacy and personal possessions; and
support of cultural and religious practices.