Knowledge of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative among Staff Nurses: A Descriptive Study in Lucknow

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY: Hospitals adhering to BFHI standards consistently report improved breastfeeding initiation rates, higher exclusive breastfeeding prevalence, and longer breastfeeding duration [15]. Despite its proven effectiveness, global implementation of BFHI has been uneven. Several evaluations have highlighted challenges related to inadequate workforce training, insufficient institutional commitment, high staff turnover, and lack of ongoing monitoring mechanisms [15,16]. Nurse’s knowledge and competence are critical determinants of successful BFHI implementation and maternal confidence in breastfeeding. The present study was therefore conducted to assess the level of knowledge regarding BFHI among staff nurses working in selected hospitals of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, and to examine its association with selected demographic and professional variables.

MATERIALS & METHODS: Descriptive research approach was adapted for this study. The study was conducted in selected hospital of Lucknow. The 60 staff nurses who were working in maternity, obstetric or neonatal care units with at least 6 months of experience in selected hospital and who are willing to participate in the study were selected as samples for this study. A non-probability purposive sampling technique will be used to select 60 staff nurses from the chosen hospitals.

RESULTS: The majority of staff nurses, 50%, scored between 9 and 17, indicating moderate knowledge.33.3% of nurses showed adequate knowledge, with their scores falling between 18 and 35, suggesting a higher level of understanding. Another 20% of staff nurses had scored below 8, reflecting poor or inadequate knowledge. The mean knowledge score was 16.7% with a standard deviation of 7.86, indicating a moderate level of overall knowledge with clear differences among participants. The results revealed that a demographic variable such as age, Gender and Previous Training Related to BFHI shows significant association with their knowledge level. Other variables such as Highest Level of Nursing Education of the staff nurses, Years of Experience and Work Experience in maternal and neonatal care hospital show no significant association with their knowledge level.

CONCLUSION: The study showed that nurses in the selected hospitals of Lucknow had a moderate level of knowledge about the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI). Knowledge levels were not affected by education level in nursing, years of experience, or previous work in maternal and neonatal care. However, younger age, gender, and especially attending BFHI-specific training were linked to higher knowledge. This highlights that structured training programs play a key role in improving nurses’ understanding of BFHI and should be emphasized to ensure better implementation in hospitals.