Rooting for the Breast: Breast Feeding Promotion in the NICU, Article Critique Example

Abstract

This critique document presents findings obtained from an ethnographic approached participant observational study. Its purpose, methodology, findings and clinical implications were clearly outlined before the researchers began their conclusive report to be scrutinized.

Nursing: Article Critique-Rooting for the Breast: Breast feeding Promotion in the NICU

Introduction

This article, ‘Rooting for the Breast: Breast feeding Promotion in the NICU’ was written by Roberta Cricco – Lizza. It was reprinted in 2012 by Walters Kluwer Health 1 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins through permission from the American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing after being published in 2009.

Statement of research problem and significance

A statement of the research problem seems to be entangled within the research purpose and the opening sentences of this report. Evidently, there is no distinct section whereby a research statement can be clearly identified. The purpose indicates that this ‘study explored the structure and process of breast feeding promotion in the NICU’ (Cricco-Lizza, 2009, p 197).

Meanwhile, the opening sentences reiterated the analogy of structure and process of breast feeding being the focus of the study with a sample/ population being derived from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).This follows a statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics relating that, ‘mother’s milk is particularly important for the health of premature and high risk infants’ (Cricco-Lizza, 2009, p 197). Importantly, this is the extent to which the reader could decipher a research problem from a statement.

Literature Review

There is an implicit literature review beginning from the very first paragraph whereby the researcher references American Academy of Pediatrics’ (2005) proposition that a mother‘s breast milk is extremely beneficial for premature and high risk infants. Further, the researcher considers studies conducted by Vhr (2006) and others suggesting that when these infants ingest breast milk there are healthy favorable outcomes (Cricco-Lizza, 2009).

Subsequently, there are continuous reviews highlighting benefits of breast milk from statements made by credible researchers such Furman (2005) and others; Lessen & Crevelli-Kovach (2005); Merwood et, al (2003); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2008); UNICEF (1992); WHO (2012); Kramer et.al (2002) and several others. This apparently engaged the reader’s attention through substantiating various aspects of the research problem while capturing the significance of the study.

Research Design/Tradition

Great thinkers in the science have offered guidelines towards adopting the best research designs outlining characteristics they should embody for perfect outcomes. Importantly, they become the blueprint for any study by addressing at least four research problems; designing questions to answer problems; presenting methods of collecting and evaluating data as well as strategies to analyze data retrieved ( Creswell, 2012). As such, these are the parameters by which the research design will be measured in this article critique. Evidently, the researcher exposed during her methodology section that ‘ethnographic approach … with techniques of participant observation’ (Cricco-Lizza, 2009, p 198) were adopted in exploring ‘the structure and process of breast feeding promotion in the NICU’ (Cricco-Lizza, 2009, p 197).

As was identified earlier no more than one research problem could be cited within a ramble of opening statement and purpose. No explicitly stated research questions can be found within this study. However, a lavish design collaborating organizational resources was undertaken to prove insidious hypotheses. Further, a sample was drawn from NICU nurses as informants from various academic levels for internal and external validity purposes. Data was collected utilizing ‘unobstructive observations of nurses during their interaction with babies, families and other health care professionals’ (Cricco-Lizza, 2009, p 198). Formal interviewing of informants was another data collection technique used. Analysis consisted of artifact comparisons; QSR NUD*IST were appropriately used to interpret data retrieved from the study.

Conclusion

Three findings were derived from the study which linked ‘the structure and process of breast feeding promotion in the NICU’ (Cricco-Lizza, 2009, p 197) to organizational resources influence; knowledge dispensed from forces deliberately either trying to sell formulas or promote breast feeding impacted acceptance of the practice and NICU is evolving as a breast feeding promotion center (Cricco-Lizza, 2009, p 197).

References

Creswell, J.W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall

Cricco- Lizza Roberta (2009). Rooting for the Breast: Breast feeding Promotion in the NICU’ American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing: 34(6): 356-364.