The Evaluation of Nurses’ Knowledge and Practice about the Temperature of Milk Fed to Infants: A Descriptive Study

Abstract

Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the practices and knowledge of nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit regarding temperature of breastmilk/formula given to infants during feeding. Methods: This descriptive study comprised 116 neonatal nurses working in an intensive care unit. The research data were collected using the Nurse Identification Questionnaire and the Practices and Knowledge of Nurses Regarding Milk Temperature Questionnaire. Results: Of the nurses, 52.6% stated that the milk given to infants should be beneath 35°C, 47.4% stated that it should be above 35°C, and 76.4% stated that the temperature of the breastmilk/formula given to infants may cause nutrient loss. It was found that 78.4% of the nurses heated the milk in a warming bath, 6% heated the milk by keeping it at room temperature, and 15.6% preheated the milk with a heater and thermostat. Furthermore, 91.4% of the nurses were found to test the temperature of the breastmilk/formula by placing some on the inner segment of the forearm, 5.2% by using a liquid thermometer, and 3.6% by placing some on the palm. Conclusion: It was determined that the nurses had insufficient knowledge regarding the proper temperature of the breastmilk/formula and used traditional methods for heating milk and testing its temperature.