| Learning Objective #1: Describe the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative | |||
| Learning Objective #2: List 3 strategies for breastfeeding education for health care providers |
Healthcare professionals have often been a source of conflicting and misleading information about lactation, and many hospital practices are barriers to successful breastfeeding. In light of scientific evidence of the importance of breastfeeding, the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is a major avenue for healthcare institutions to assure access to evidence-based, lactation services for families. Over the past 4 years, a subspecialty teaching hospital, worked toward becoming the largest hospital in the nation to receive the Baby-Friendly designation.
Not only was this Initiative a premier example of putting research at the bedside, but this was also a nurse driven project, implemented by a multi-disciplinary team of healthcare professionals and community representatives. Innovation was demonstrated through a comprehensive approach to education, which included not only inpatient staff, but outpatient providers, consumers and the statewide community.
A major component of this Initiative was education of all healthcare staff that interact with mothers and babies. In the inpatient setting, healthcare professionals completed breastfeeding education requirements, comprised of didactic, skills and preceptorship components. On-site education was provided to physicians, nurses, and ancillary staff in 41 clinics and private practice offices. Consumer education involved the use of an informational pregnancy calendar and posters. Collaboration statewide yielded a breastfeeding resource handbook and the Governor’s Proclamation on Breastfeeding.
Outcome measures of this program revealed statistically significant increases in intention and confidence to counsel mothers about breastfeeding among professionals in the outpatient setting. Inpatient healthcare providers also demonstrated a mastery of breastfeeding knowledge as evidenced by higher post-test scores and 100% passage of the Baby-Friendly survey assessment. Furthermore, breastfeeding initiation rates and patient satisfaction scores increased. Newborn readmission rates for breastfeeding related diagnoses decreased.
In conclusion, a comprehensive approach to breastfeeding education yields a higher quality of care for breastfeeding mothers and babies and aids in meeting national health objectives.
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