Date of Award

Spring 2023

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

School

Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice

Committee Chair

Dr. Marti Jordan

Committee Chair School

Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice

Committee Member 2

Dr. Debra Copeland

Committee Member 2 School

Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice

Committee Member 3

Dr. Bonnie Harbaugh

Committee Member 3 School

Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice

Committee Member 4

Dr. Lachel Story

Committee Member 4 School

Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice

Committee Member 5

Dr. Will Evans

Committee Member 5 School

Health Professions

Abstract

Breastfeeding is important to promote the health of both mothers and babies (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2021). Many mothers experience workplace barriers and stress which negatively impact breastfeeding duration (McCardel & Padilla, 2020; Nagel et al., 2022). However, a gap in the literature exists surrounding specific barriers and the impact of stress on U.S. nurses who breastfeed. Specifically, workplace challenges and stress among nurses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic lack exploration.

This interpretive phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of ICU, Med-Surg, and ER nurses who attempted to breastfeed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Roy’s adaptation model was the conceptual framework for this study, and participant experiences were analyzed using Roy’s model. Findings indicate nurses experienced both adaptive and non-adaptive behavior in various modes of Roy’s model. Dissemination of findings to nurse administrators would be important due to the breastfeeding challenges and needs identified by participants within this study. A growing need for nursing professionals requires action to promote the health and well-being of nursing staff, including breastfeeding support, and is important to ensure the job satisfaction of nurses and the provision of safe patient care.

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