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Show •Reduced maternal confidence is associated with lower exclusive breastfeeding rates during hospitalization and after discharge.⁵ If you’d like, I can also: •compress this into a single cascading paragraph, or Breastfeeding Education for Nurses BACKGROUND Lack of education that targets breastfeeding support skills leaves nurses feeling unprepared for practice. • Limited breastfeeding education leaves postpartum nurses underprepared to provide confident, effective breastfeeding support. 1, 2 • Inadequate preparation reduces consistency in evidencebased breastfeeding care at the bedside. 1, 2 • Inconsistent nursing support contributes to maternal anxiety and lower breastfeeding self-efficacy. 3 • Reduced maternal confidence is associated with lower exclusive breastfeeding rates during hospitalization and after discharge. 4 METHODS Rosswurm and Larrabee’s EBP model translates evidence into practical education, building nurses’ confidence and skills in breastfeeding support. • Education materials: videos, digital tools, and written guides. • Curriculum: online modules, hands-on practice, and mentorship. • Support: weekly breastfeeding huddles and coaching. • Measure: pre- and post-training surveys and outcome data. • Long-term adoption: adjust based on feedback, integrate and operationalize Increase Knowledge-Improve Skills Chellene Hogge, BSN, RN, MSN Student Amber Fowler, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN Laney Hancock, MSN, RN INTERVENTIONS • Step 1: Develop a multimodal breastfeeding education curriculum and digital learning materials. • Step 2: Coordinate hands-on simulation sessions and arrange mentorship with lactation consultants. • Step 3: Engage leadership to align policies, secure support, and create protected time for training. • Step 4: Implement weekly breastfeeding huddles and ongoing coaching to reinforce skills. • Step 5: Collect and analyze pre- and post-education data to evaluate impact and guide refinement. IMPACTS The project strengthens nurses’ breastfeeding support skills in ways that elevate care quality now and build lasting improvements in breastfeeding success and nursing practice over time. • Increases nurse confidence, competence, and consistency in breastfeeding support.1,2 • Reduces reliance on lactation consultants by expanding nurses’ bedside skills.1 • Supports long-term increases in exclusive breastfeeding rates. 2, 4 • Enhances maternal outcomes, including higher self-efficacy and reduced anxiety.5 • Establishes a sustainable, scalable education model for future nursing practice. Adobe stock (2026) CONCLUSIONS Strengthening postpartum nurses’ confidence and hands-on skills in breastfeeding support ensures consistent, evidence-based care for new mothers. REFERENCES • Improves maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy. • Reduces maternal anxiety in the early postpartum period. • Increases exclusive breastfeeding rates during hospitalization and after discharge. • Supports improved infant health outcomes. • Promotes standardized breastfeeding support and decreases reliance on lactation consultants. 1 Blixt, I., Karlsson Rosenblad, A., Axelsson, O., & Funkquist, E.-L. (2023). Breastfeeding training improved healthcare professional’s self-efficacy to provide evidence-based breastfeeding support: A pre-post intervention study. Midwifery, 125, 103794. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2023.103794 2 Clark, R. R. S., Peele, M. E., Mason, A., & Lake, E. T. (2024). Effects of nurse staffing on missed breastfeeding support in maternity units with different nurse work environments. The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing, 38(2), 158–166. https://doi.org/10.1097/JPN.0000000000000824 3 Mulcahy, H., Philpott, L. F., O'Driscoll, M., Bradley, R., & Leahy-Warren, P. (2022). Breastfeeding skills training for health care professionals: A systematic review. Heliyon, 8(12), e11747. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11747 4 Wong, M. S., Mou, H., & Chien, W. T. (2021). Effectiveness of educational and supportive 33 intervention for primiparous women on breastfeeding-related outcomes and breastfeeding self-efficacy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 117, 103874. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2021.103874 5 Swanson, N. M., Elgersma, K. M., McKechnie, A. C., McPherson, P. L., Bergeron, M. J., Sommerness, S. A., Friedrich, C. L., Spatz, D. L., & Harris-Haman, P. A. (2023). Encourage, Assess, Transition (EAT): A quality improvement project implementing a direct breastfeeding protocol for preterm hospitalized infants. Advances in Neonatal Care, 23(2), 107–119. https://doi.org/10.1097/ANC.0000000000001037 Adobe Stock (2026) |
