Student nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about breastfeeding: using nursing curricula to affect change.

Abstract

Internationally, the lack of adequate professional education is a major factor contributing to breastfeeding failure. Nurses, who spend the most time with breastfeeding families, need to be well versed in the best practices and international standards; however, the amount and type of breastfeeding-related education provided in baccalaureate programs has not been standardized and varies considerably. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an enhanced breastfeeding curriculum in one baccalaureate nursing program in Hong Kong. Variables measured were the students' knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes about breastfeeding and their willingness to participate in professional breastfeeding promotional activities. A cross-sectional design was used. Group I was the pre-intervention group (n=237), and Group II was the post-intervention group (n=205) who had completed the instruction and their clinical experiences. Two previously tested instruments, the Minnesota Infant Feeding Questionnaires (Duckett et al., 1998) and the Professional Breastfeeding Activities Questionnaire (O'Brien & Henly,1998) were administered The sample (N =442) was largely homogenous with participants being predominantly under 25 years of age, female and unmarried. The Group II was significantly more likely to associate positive maternal and child outcomes with breastfeeding (beliefs about outcomes of breastfeeding) and demonstrated significant knowledge increases. Attitudes toward breastfeeding and formula feeding were only minimally affected by the intervention. Group II was more likely to engage in professional breastfeeding promotion activities. The enhanced curriculum was effective in changing three of the four measured variables. Enhancing breastfeeding-related curriculum can effect significant change in nursing students. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: - List 3 ways student behavior can be changed. - Identify 2 methods for effecting change through curriculum enhancements.