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Mothers who perceive breastfeeding to be healthier, easier and more convenient breastfeed longer than those who perceive that breastfeeding is restrictive, inconvenient and uncomfortable. This study focused on the breastfeeding practices of postnatal mothers with regard to exclusivity, frequency and duration. It was a cross-sectional research design covering the three levels of health care institutions in the South-East Zone of Nigeria. Convenient sampling method was used to select 299 postnatal mothers who visited infant welfare clinics along with their infants. Three research questions and one null hypothesis guided the study. The instruments used for data collection were questionnaire on patterns of breastfeeding by postnatal mothers (QPBF) and checklist on health status of infants with varied breastfeeding patterns (CHSIVBP). Frequency distribution and percentages were used to answer the research questions while chi-square test was used in testing the null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The result showed that most of the postnatal mothers practiced EBF for a short period, majority breastfed their infants on demand day and night, and majority also reported that their infants suckle the breast for more than 20minutes. Also breastfeeding patterns of the postnatal mothers was found to differ significantly across the three levels of health care institutions. Childbearing mothers need to be motivated on the need to practice EBF for six month postpartum.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) environment has the potential to exacerbate stress for parents of infants admitted to the unit. This study investigated the stress among parents of hospitalized infants in neonatal intensive care unit, and its effects on parental needs and expectations. Convenient sampling method was used to select 216 parents of at-risk infants in the NICU from two Teaching Hospitals in the South-East Zone of Nigeria. Two research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Parental Self - report Scale on coping measures were used to measure the stress among the parents. A parent - infant demographic information was obtained and used to determine the extent to which the characteristics serve as stress predictors. Mean score, standard deviation (SD) and Spearman Rank correlation Coefficient (rho) were used to answer the research questions while Chi-square, Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U tests were adopted in testing the null hypotheses at 0.01 level of significance. Parental stress for NICU infant behaviour and appearance significantly correlated with parental role alteration while infant gestational age correlated with parental stress for NICU staff behaviour and communication. Significant differences resulted in parental self-report of coping measures and their role alterations with regard to number of children born by parents and across the fertility history of the parents respectively. Parents of infants in the NICU need to take more active part in decision making and care of their infants.

The purpose of this study was to identify factors that enhance and hinder interdisciplinary collaborative practice (ICP) among doctors and nurses at the Nnamdi Azikiwe teaching hospital, Nnewi, southeast Nigeria. The study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey and the quantitative method of data collection was employed. The population was all doctors irrespective of area of specialty and all nurses employed and working in the hospital as at the time of study. Proportionate stratified and convenience sampling methods were used to select study participants according to their categories. Using validated structured questionnaire, data were collected from 110 doctors and 95 nurses in the teaching hospital on their perception on ICP and factors that enhance/hinder ICP. Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Specifically, frequencies, percentages, standard deviation and graphic presentation were used for descriptive analysis of scores while the unpaired t test of mean score using Graph Pad Prism, Version 5.30 was used to determine the influence of profession, gender, and years of experience on perception of ICP at 0.05 level of significance. The study found that both doctors and nurses have positive perception on ICP. Their years of experience have significant influence on their perception. Clear individual roles and good working relationships enhance ICP while giving priority to professional status rather than expertise was seen as a prominent hindrance to ICP. The study recommends collaborative continuing education for doctors and nurses to enhance ICP in patient care. In addition, the inclusion of interdisciplinary collaborative practice programmme into the curriculum of medical and nursing students (where it does not exist) would go a long way to strengthen ICP and decrease hindrances when they graduate.