Nurses Partnering with Medical Assistants to Enhance Breastfeeding Care in the Pediatric Primary Care Setting.

Abstract

Purpose: As valuable members of the care team, medical assistants are well-positioned to assist breastfeeding families. The purpose of this study was to identify ways in which medical assistants in the pediatric primary care setting may be empowered to improve care and support for breastfeeding families.

Study design: A cross-sectional mixed-methods study was conducted using a one-time REDCap® survey including three open-ended prompts administered to medical assistants employed in primary care sites at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia from August 2022 through May 2023.

Methods: Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the background, training, and experience of respondents. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify themes in open-ended responses.

Results: Among the 78 medical assistants employed within Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's primary care network sites at the time of this study, 58 responded to the survey resulting in a response rate of 74%. Twenty-one locations were represented from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's 31 pediatric primary care sites. Most medical assistants surveyed were providing informal breastfeeding support in the pediatric primary care setting and many were interested in learning more about breastfeeding and willing to offer more breastfeeding support to families.

Clinical implications: Medical assistants are a valuable part of the primary care team and have the potential to partner with nurses to make important contributions to the care and support of breastfeeding families.