Background Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is one of the interventions widely used in low-income countries to manage Low Birth Weight Infants (LBWIs), a global leading cause of neonatal and child mortality. LBWI largely contributes to neonatal mortality in Malawi despite the country strengthening and implementing KMC, nationwide, to enhance the survival of LBWIs. This qualitative study aimed to assess the facilitating factors and barriers to accessibility and utilization of KMC service by the parent of low birth weight infants (PLBWIs) in Mangochi District, Malawi. Methods Two focused group discussions assessed factors facilitating and hindering the accessibility and utilization of KMC service were conducted in April 2018 that reached out to ( N = 12) participants; (n:6) PLBWI practicing KMC at Mangochi district hospital (MDH) referred from four health facilities and (n:6) high-risk pregnant mothers (HRPMs) visiting antenatal care (ANC) clinic at MDH. The availability of KMC at MDH was assessed using KMC availability checklist. The study used purposive, convenient and simple random sampling to identify eligible participants. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the findings. Results Sixteen themes emerged on facilitating factors and barriers to accessibility and utilization of KMC service by the PLBWIs. The identified themes included; availability of KMC providers, social factor (social support and maternal love), timing of KMC information, knowledge on KMC, health linkage systems, recognition of LBWIs, safety on the use of KMC, preference of LBWI’s care practice, lived experience on KMC practice, KMC expert clients, perceived causes of LBWI births, cultural/traditional factors, religious beliefs, health-seeking behavior, women empowerment and quality of care. Conclusions Although KMC was available in some of the health facilities, integration of KMC messages in ANC guidelines, community awareness and in sensitization of any health intervention may enhance KMC accessibility and utilization by the targeted population.

BackgroundStudies have investigated burnout and compassion fatigue among nurses and effects in the nursing profession. However, there are limited investigations of burnout and compassion fatigue among undergraduate nursing students in South Africa, as nursing students may experience distressful situations during their nursing education course, which may have an impact during their training and in their profession as they graduate.PurposeThe purpose of this descriptive study was to describe compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and burnout among undergraduate nursing students at a tertiary nursing institution.MethodsA quantitative descriptive study was conducted to describe compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and burnout among undergraduate nursing students at a tertiary nursing institution in KwaZulu-Natal. Convenience sampling was used.ResultsSixty-seven undergraduate students (26 third-year and 41 fourth-year nursing students) took the self-test Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL). The study results indicate that undergraduate students experienced average levels of compassion fatigue, burnout and compassion satisfaction.ConclusionAs shown in the study, some of the undergraduate students are experiencing compassion fatigue and burnout, associated with relieving suffering of others. Therefore, knowledge of compassion fatigue and burnout and the coping strategies should be part of nursing training.

Background: Kangaroo mother care (KMC) has been widely adopted in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) to minimise low birthweight infants’ (LBWIs) adverse outcomes. However, the burden of neonatal and child mortality remains disproportionately high in LMICs.Aim: Thus, this scoping review sought to map evidence on the barriers, challenges and facilitators of KMC utilisation by parents of LBWIs (parent of low birthweight infant [PLBWI]) in LMICs.Methods: We searched for studies conducted in LMICs and published in English between January 1990 and August 2020 from SciELO, Google Scholar, JSTOR, LILACS, Academic search complete, PubMed, CINAHL with full text, and Medline databases. We adopted Arksey and O’Malley’s framework for conducting scoping reviews. Potential studies were exported to Endnote X7 reference management software for abstract and full article screening. Two independent reviewers did a parallel abstract and full article screening using a standardised form. The results were analysed using thematic content analysis.Results: We generated 22 040 studies and after duplicate removal, 42 studies were eligible for full-text screening and 22 studies, most form sub-Saharan Africa, were included in the content analysis. Eight themes emerged from the analysis: access, buy-in, co-ordination and collaboration, medical issues, motivation, social support-gender obligation and empowerment, time and timing and traditional/cultural norms.Conclusion: Identifying factors affecting KMC may optimise KMC utilisation. Additional studies aiming at identifying influencing factors that affect KMC utilisation amongst PLBWIs’ in LMICs need to be conducted to provide evidence-based strategies to enhance practice, inform policy and decision-makers in KMC utilisation amongst the PLBWIs in LMICs and beyond.

BackgroundThe Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 emphasises on reducing neonatal deaths caused by low birth weight (LBW) complications by the implementation and utilisation of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite the empirical evidence of KMC optimising low-birth-weight infants’ (LBWIs’) survival, its advantages and the LMICs implementing the service, studies have shown that LBW infant deaths occurring in LMICs are largely contributing to global child mortality. The aim of this scoping review is to map out the literature on barriers, challenges and facilitators of KMC utilisation by parents with LBWIs.Methods and analysisThis scoping review will use Endnote X7 reference management software to manage articles. The review search strategy will use SCIELO and LILACS databases. Other databases will be used via EBSCOHost search engine and these are Academic search complete, CINAHL with full text, Education source, Health source: Nursing/Academic Edition, Medline with full text and Medline. We will also use Google Scholar, JSTOR, Open grey search engines and reference lists. A two-phase search mapping out process will be done. In phase 1, one reviewer will perform the title screening and removal of duplicates. Two reviewers will do a parallel abstract screening according to eligibility criteria. Phase 2 will involve the reading of full articles and exclusion of articles, in accordance with the eligibility criteria. Data extraction from the articles will be done by two reviewers independently and parallel to the data extraction form.The data quality assessment of the eligible studies will be done using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT). The extraction of the synthesised results and thematic content analysis of the studies will be done by NVIVO version 10.DiscussionWe expect to find studies on barriers, challenges and facilitating factors of KMC utilisation by parents with LBWIs in LMICs. The review outcomes will guide future research and practice and inform policy. The findings will be disseminated in print, electronic and conference presentations related to maternal child and neonatal health.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13643-018-0714-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background Low-and middle-income countries widely utilize Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) to care for the Low-Birth Weight Infants (LBWIs). Worldwide, LBWIs is the leading cause of neonatal and child mortality. In Malawi, the government and the notable non-governmental organizations coordinate and collaborate in implementing KMC interventions to reduce neonatal deaths due to LBWIs’ complications. The incorporation of the community leaders’ (CLs) views on KMC access and utilization is optimal in the effective KMC implementation. Therefore, this study aimed to assess CLs perspectives on barriers and facilitating factors to KMC utilization by parents of low birth weight infants (PLBWIs) in Mangochi District, Malawi. Methods The study used purposive and simple random sampling to identify twelve CLs (N = 12) who participated in the two focused group (n = 6) discussions (FGD) conducted in April 2018 in Mangochi district. A structured FGD guide used to obtain the CLs’ perspectives on barriers and facilitating factors to KMC access and utilization by PLBWIs. Thematic content analysis used to analyse the findings. Results Four major themes and sub-themes were established from the study. These included Access (availability of KMC providers, place of delivery, strengthen referral systems, cost, health seeking behaviour, women empowerment and quality of obstetric care), Buy-in (KMC knowledge, causes of LBWIs birth, advantages/outcomes of KMC, attitude towards LBWI and KMC, stigma towards mother with a LBWI and preference of LBWI care), Medical issues (safety and maternal health) and traditional/cultural norms (social obligation and gender roles). Conclusions Despite the identified facilitating and barriers to KMC utilization, the CLs indirectly supported PLBWIs access to KMC by their influential and participatory role in the Malawi National Safe Motherhood approaches, which facilitated women deliver by the skilled birth attendants and utilized KMC. As such, incorporating the CLs in KMC implementation through KMC capacity building and strengthening linkage of local government structures to health local government structures may enhance KMC access and utilization by the community, through the CLs’ influential role in the communities’ uptake of health services. In a way strengthening the Malawi National Community Health Strategy 2017–2022 approaches.