Date of Award
8-18-2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Master of Science in Nursing (MScN)
First Supervisor/Advisor
Dr. Tazeen Saeed Ali
Department
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Pakistan
Abstract
Background: Globally, four million neonates die yearly, and the substantial reasons for the deaths are low birth weight and being preterm. The neonate mortality rate was 18 per thousand live births in the year 2021, which means that approximately 7000 deaths occur worldwide daily. Pakistan is among the top ten countries with many preterm births.
Purpose: To explore the mother’s experiences with KMC, and the motive is that it will reduce the neonate's mortality rate by preventing preterm babies from hypothermia.
Method: A qualitative descriptive study design was used to explore the mothers’ experiences who attended the KMC facility. The setting of the study was the KMC facility in a major public hospital, Swat. The purposive sampling technique was used to conduct in-depth interviews with 12 mothers. Content Analysis was used to analyze the data.
Finding(s): The mothers have little knowledge and awareness regarding KMC. They know the positive outcomes and benefits of KMC. They were ready to practice KMC at the individual and community levels. The enabling factors to practice KMC include professional support and help in the hospital, family support and reassurance, and the societal acceptance of the KMC method. The circumstances hindering the KMC practice were the infrastructure of the hospital, lack of family support, and cultural values and traditions.
Conclusion: Mothers know the benefits of KMC. Minimal changes could be required in the KMC method according to the local norms and cultural settings. Mother’s privacy and well-being is an important aspect in the Pakistani context. More focus should be placed on the availability, accessibility, and affordability of KMC to everyone. The government and Non-government organizations should take the initiative to establish the chain of KMC in Pakistan, especially in the cold areas like the northern areas.
Recommended Citation
Nasir, M. (2023). Exploring the experiences of mothers who attended the kangaroo mother care facility in a tertiary care hospital in Swat, Pakistan: A descriptive qualitative study (Unpublished master's dissertation). Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.