Abstract
Purposes/Aims: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to plan and implement Family Bonding Time, (e. g. a daily quiet time), on a mother/baby care unit (MBCU) and evaluate its effects on interruptions to mothers, their perceptions of these interruptions, and exclusive breastfeeding rates.
Rationale/Background: A hospital system chart review revealed that staying more than one night in the hospital and being born at night doubled the odds of a healthy breastfeeding newborn receiving supplementation before hospital discharge. Interruptions from visitors were identified as barriers to mothers’ ability to breastfeed and to rest during the day. Night nurses suggested Family Bonding Time as a strategy for limiting unnecessary interruptions from visitors or staff.
Project Description: This project was conducted in three phases. During phase one data were collected about number and duration of interruptions and if they were MBCU staff, other hospital staff, or visitors; mothers’ perceptions of these interruptions; and unit exclusive breastfeeding rates. Family Bonding Time was launched in phase two between 2pm and 4pm; mothers and their partners were encouraged to rest together with their newborns. The project was designed to promote exclusive breastfeeding and rest by limiting interruptions to those that were requested by a patient, urgent, or medically necessary. Phase three began 12 weeks after implementing Family Bonding Time. Data again were gathered on the three outcome variables. Two teams of MBCU nurses were formed to conduct this project; a planning team of four nurses met during phase one to inform hospital staff about Family Bonding Time, which they successfully implemented in phase two. In phases one and three, an evaluation team of five nurses and a nursing faculty collected data about interruptions by observing unit hallways between noon and 4pm over 12 days in phase one and 10 in phase three. Sixty mothers completed the perceptions of interruptions questionnaire (30 each in phases one and three). Unit exclusive breastfeeding rates during phases one and three were compared.
Outcomes: Outcome data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a repeated measures ANOVA, t-test, and Chi-Square. Analysis of interruptions by the unit nursing staff indicated a decrease in interruptions between 2pm and 4pm that could be attributed to Family Bonding Time ( F (1,58)=7.50, p =0.008). Analysis of interruptions by other hospital staff and visitors indicated a significant interaction of time with interruptions; interruptions decreased in both phases between 2pm and 4pm ( F (3,174)=4.83 p =0.0029; F (3,174)=2.95, p =0.034). Exclusive breastfeeding rates increased significantly (χ<sub>2</sub> (4)=21.27, p =0.0003), but mothers’ perceptions indicated no significant differences.
Conclusion: Mothers experience many interruptions during their hospital stay, particularly when visitors arrive in large groups and stay more than 60 minutes. Documenting specific sources of interruptions facilitates planning and implementing an effective quiet time intervention. Addressing concerns of unit and hospital staff before implementation and providing on-going staff orientation can facilitate project sustainability. Further study of the effect of Family Bonding Time on exclusive breastfeeding rates is needed.
| Original language | American English |
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| State | Published - 13 Apr 2018 |
| Event | 51st Annual Communicating Nursing Research Conference - Spokane, WA Duration: 13 Apr 2018 → … |
Conference
| Conference | 51st Annual Communicating Nursing Research Conference |
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| Period | 13/04/18 → … |
EGS Disciplines
- Maternal, Child Health and Neonatal Nursing