A study to assess the knowledge and practice of nursing staff posted in postnatal ward about immediate care of newborn and breast feeding in selected hospital of Bhopal district, Madhya Pradesh

Abstract

Background: High rate of infancy deaths is largely attributed to very high share of neonatal deaths i.e 66% of infant deaths in 2007, in India. It can be largely attained by providing quality care to the newborn immediately after birth and Breast-feeding which is the standard way of feeding all infants. Objectives of the study were to assess the knowledge and practices of nurses regarding Immediate Care of Newborn and assess the knowledge of nurses of postnatal ward regarding Breast feeding.Methods: This was a hospital based cross-sectional study carried out in selected hospital of Bhopal district. 32 nurses involved in the immediate care of the newborn were identified. Data was collected about Immediate Care of Newborn and breast feeding. Analysis was done using MS Excel and EpiInfo-7.Results: 81.3% nurses knew how to prevent the new born from bleeding and 71.9% knew the correct dose of Vit K at birth. 78.1% put delivered baby on to mother’s abdomen, 84.4% dried and covered the baby correctly, 90.6% tied cord correctly and 96.9 weighted the baby. 75% said initiation should be done within first hour of birth. 90.6% said feeding should be done for more than 8 times a day and 87.5% believed hand washing should be done before every feed. 59.4% said Pre-lacteal feeding should not be given, 87.5% adhered to colostrum feeding.Conclusions: Nurses have knowledge about the immediate care of the newborn and breast feeding but there are some lacunas despite the continuous efforts of training. Much still needs to be done.

Knowledge on breast feeding and its techniques among health care workers in a tertiary health centre

“…13 This study reveals that 88% of the nursing staffs knew that feeding has to be given on demand which is higher than study done by Afreen khan where only 78.1% of the nurses knew about it. 12 Although the knowledge about feeds on demand was less among medical interns but this is consistent with the study done by 12,16 In this study very few medical interns and nursing staff have correct knowledge of continuation of breastfeeding in maternal illness like TB, Hepatitis B, HIV and mother on chemotherapy. Almost similar results are reported in studies done among medical professionals in Karachi, Egypt, Nigeria and nursing students of Saudi Arabia.…”

“…In the present study knowledge of avoidance of prelacteal feed was very poor among the nursing staffs accounting for 65% which is similar to the study done by Khan et al, where 69.4% of nurses had knowledge about it. 12 However medical interns (88%) had a better knowledge about the avoidance of prelacteal feeds which is more as compared to the study done by Satyavani et al 11 Present study shows knowledge on duration of exclusive breastfeeding was almost equal among medical interns and nursing staff (95% and 93%) which is much higher than the study done by B.T utoo et al, where only 83.4% of total health care professions had knowledge about it. 13 This study reveals that 88% of the nursing staffs knew that feeding has to be given on demand which is higher than study done by Afreen khan where only 78.1% of the nurses knew about it.…”

“…Similar results were seen in the study done by Khan et al, where 84.4% of nurses knew correct feeding position and 75% of nurses knew the criteria for good attachment respectively. 12 In this study, we also found that medical interns lack the knowledge of correct feeding positions and the criteria for good attachment.…”