EFFECTS OF NURSE-LED EDUCATION PROGRAM ON KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE ON EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING AND BREAST CARE AMONG ANTENATAL MOTHERS

Abstract

Breast milk or mother’s milk is milk produced by mammary glands in the breast of a human
female. Breast milk is the primary source of nutrition for newborns, containing fat, protein,
carbohydrate, and variable minerals and vitamins. The present study was conducted to
evaluate the effect of a nurse-led education program on knowledge and attitude on exclusive
breastfeeding and breast care among antenatal mothers in antenatal OPD of St. Gregorios
Medical Mission Hospital, Parumala. The objectives of the study were to assess the
knowledge and attitude of antenatal mothers on exclusive breastfeeding and breast careto
assess the effect of nurse-led education programs on knowledge and attitude regarding
exclusive breastfeeding and breast care among antenatal mothers. A quantitative evaluative
approach with pre-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design and purposive sampling
was used to select 60 antenatal mothers of this study. Education program was administered
on the same day after the pre-test. The data were collected using a structured knowledge
questionnaire and Likert’s attitude scale. The post-test was done one week after the pre-test
with the same questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential
statistics. The findings show that the gain in knowledge and attitude was significant (t =
21.33, t =19.24). Nurse-led education program was found to be effective in improving the
knowledge and attitude of antenatal mothers on exclusive breastfeeding and breast care.