Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Donna Bailey

Abstract

Preterm birth is the leading cause of death in children under 5. In addition, there are 22 million babies born underweight each year which also contributes to the infant mortality rate. Some reasons for the inability to thrive and survive are the infants' immature system, allostatic load inadaptability, and undiversified and underdeveloped microbiota. Human breast milk (HBM) provides lifesaving nutrients, which prevents necrotizing enterocolitis and mortality. In addition, probiotic supplementation helps reduce late-onset sepsis, morbidities, and mortality. A literature review provided substantial evidence that HBM and probiotics can improve an infant's microbiota, thus improving thrivability and survivability. Probiotics offset the infant's allostatic load, which may decrease the infant mortality rate. Furthermore, probiotics are involved in intestinal epithelium proliferation, nervous system maturity and function, and human life energy production. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project addressed the medium-level knowledge gap of probiotics among healthcare professionals (HCPs). The educational empowerment model and the allostatic model assisted in educating HCPs on probiotics and probiotic breastfeeding therapy (PBT). A pretest and posttest measured the effectiveness of an in-service on probiotics, breastfeeding mothers and infants. The pretest had a 49% score, while the posttest resulted in an improved score of 95%. The posttest results answered the DNP project question of whether a probiotic staff educational program would improve the HCP's knowledge of probiotics and their use concerning PBT. The DNP project promotes positive social change by increasing the HCPs' knowledge of probiotics and PBT, while providing an appropriate recommendation that all HCPs undergo probiotic training.

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