DefinePK

Abstract

Background: Skin-to-skin contact (SSC) between the mother and newborn post-birth is a crucial strategy that facilitates nursing, fosters bonding, ensures essential stability, and regulates temperature, Despite its advantages (SSC) remains unused because of barriers including inadequate provider training, early separation of neonates, and insufficient institutional support, especially in resource-limited settings.
Aim: To Identify the Applicability and Barriers of Non Application of Skin-to-Skin Contact in Kirkuk City Hospitals.
Methods: A quasi-experimental study using a pre-test/post-test design was applied. A purposive sample of 60 nurse-midwives was selected to participate. Participants completed a knowledge assessment before the intervention, attended an educational session about SSC, and then completed a post-intervention assessment to measure changes in knowledge.
Results: The applicability of skin-to-skin contact between the pretest and posttest. During the pretest, the overall average knowledge score was 0.26, categorized as poor, with incorrect responses dominating most of the items. The posttest results show a remarkable improvement, with the overall average score increasing to 0.91, categorized as good. Most participants (over 83% across all items) provided correct answers after the intervention.
Conclusion: The study proves that structured educational programs enhance nurses' knowledge in SSC interpretation