The Relationship Between Nursing Work Environment and Breastfeeding Prevalence During Child Hospitalization: A...

Background/Objectives: Breastfeeding during pediatric hospitalization is often challenging, especially in a setting where nursing work environments can affect breastfeeding support. This study examines the relationship between nursing work environments and the prevalence of breastfeeding during child hospitalization, focusing on aspects such as nursing workload, stress levels, and quality of work life (QoWL). Methods: A cross-sectional multicenter study was conducted in Italian pediatric hospitals from October 2023 to January 2024. Each ward head nurse completed a form daily for 30 consecutive days to record the number of children breastfed. Nurses' workload, stress, and QoWL were measured using validated self-report questionnaires. Multivariate regression was employed to examine the associations between organizational variables and breastfeeding prevalence. Results: A total of 256 nurses from low- and medium-intensity pediatric wards completed the survey (86.7% female, mean age = 39.2, SD = 9.96). Nurses reported low stress levels (M = 2.74; SD = 0.54) and a good QoWL (M = 3.03; SD = 0.50) despite high workloads (M = 3.34; SD = 0.95). The breastfeeding prevalence mean was 1.12 (SD = 1.38), which was highest in surgical units. Regression analysis revealed that higher breastfeeding prevalence was associated with nurses' female gender (β = 0.17), clinical setting, and higher levels of nurses' QoWL (β = 0.14) (R² = 0.23; p < 0.001). Conclusions: To enhance breastfeeding support during child hospitalizations, healthcare policies should address workload management, stress reduction, and work-life balance. Future longitudinal research should expand to other clinical settings and include detailed patient data to understand these relationships.