Nurses' and Midwives' Perceived Barriers to Implementing Kangaroo Mother Care in Kirkuk City Hospitals

Background: Kangaroo mother care is an evidence-based practice for preterm and low-birth-weight newborns that has been shown to reduce neonatal mortality and morbidity. Even though kangaroo mother care is beneficial, it is not widely implemented. Routine practices often continue despite barriers at the institutional, healthcare worker, maternal, and family levels.

Aim: To identify nurses' and midwives' perceived barriers to implementing Kangaroo Mother Care in Kirkuk City Hospitals.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in hospitals in Kirkuk City. 163 nurses and midwives were selected using a purposive non-probability sampling strategy. A standardized, self-administered questionnaire was used to gather data.  Descriptive statistical analyses were performed on the data using SPSS version 26.0.

 Results: A large percentage of nurses and midwives reported a high level of perceived barriers to KMC implementation (70.6%). Lack of professional experience or knowledge was the most frequently expressed barrier (86.5%). There were also reports of system-related barriers, including high workload (80.4%) and inadequate support (81%).

Conclusion: Implementing kangaroo mother care presents significant challenges for nurses and midwives, with 70.6% reporting a "high" level of perceived barriers.