Abstract
Objective
To explore the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of exclusive breastfeeding among
professional caregivers in a suburban community hospital who typically provide, or
influence, the care of parturient women.
Design
Cross-sectional quantitative study.
Setting
Acute care community hospital in suburban New Jersey with 3,500 births per year.
Participants
Obstetricians, midwives, neonatologists, pediatricians, and registered nurses.
Interventions/Measurements
We designed a survey using two instruments—the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitudes Scale
and the Breastfeeding Attitudes Scale—to explore concepts of breastfeeding knowledge,
attitudes, and perceptions. Data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential
statistics with SPSS (Version 19). Independent sample t tests, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and Pearson’s chi-square test (×2) were
used to assess differences between the groups.
Results
When the physician scores were separated out by specialty, statistically significant
differences in mean scores were found (p = .002). Pediatricians had lower scores on attitude toward breastfeeding. In contrast,
mean scores for perceptions and knowledge of breastfeeding were positive for physicians
and nurses, regardless of area of specialization, with no statistically significant
differences found.
Conclusion
Although pediatricians’ attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge of breastfeeding cannot
be deemed the sole cause for our organization’s low rates of sustained exclusive breastfeeding
in the postpartum period, this study provided an avenue for exploration that we did
not immediately consider as we dissected our performance metrics related to exclusive
breastfeeding. We encourage teams at other organizations to replicate and build on
this work to explore influences surrounding low rates of exclusive breastfeeding.
Keywords
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Biography
Paul Quinn, PhD, CNM, RN-BC, NEA-BC, CEN, CCRN, is the Director of Inpatient Women’s and Children’s Services at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ. ORCID: 0000-0002-3816-3847.
Biography
Sharon L. Tanis, BSN, RN, IBCLC, is the Manager of Family Education and Lactation Services at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ.
Article Info
Publication History
Published online: February 26, 2020
Accepted:
January 2020
Footnotes
The authors report no conflicts of interest or relevant financial relationships.
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 AWHONN
