This email will be short and sweet. We are working hard on the learning sessions for January and are eager to meet your "travel team" in either Raleigh or Winston Salem. Learning sessions will shift our focus to potentially better practices that increase breastfeeding exclusivity.
A critical element in determining whether changes your facility makes to increase exclusivity are effective is baseline and ongoing measurement.
Last week we held four data meetings to introduce and discuss data entry. There was minimal attendance, and based on anecdotal comments from some across the state, we are concerned that some centers may not have a representative baseline that will guide the work we are contemplating. The data set presents some challenges but it is necessary to help guide efforts undertaken by you to move your facility to the goal of an increase in exclusive human milk by 50%. To that end we have three requests for you:
1. Data entry can only be saved for shifts that have all required data elements completed. The overview cannot be entered and saved unless each question in L&D and each discharge question is answered. We need all required elements. Please make every effort possible to develop methods which will allow forms to be completed fully. We also need every shift for each baby enrolled accounted for and data entry completed. If there are shifts missing for babies we will be unable to determine your hospital's exclusive breastfeeding rates. This is our primary outcome.
2. While some of your data sheets may be incomplete and unable to be entered in the data system, we would still like the opportunity to review that data. Please copy and send us your data collection forms as soon as possible and before January 5, 2011:
Karen Metzguer
Department of Pediatrics, UNC,
CB # 7596
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7596
3. Please review and follow the instructions in the email sent by Keith on December 20th with subject "PQCNC Milk Well Baby DATA is now LIVE!" Email either Keith or me if you do not know your facility code.
Our goal is to make this initiative is valuable for your facility. Every facility will face challenges in developing data collection methods, but this is the first and necessary step for a productive initiative. It is then that the real fun and opportunity begins...examining our practice and developing changes which will promote the exclusive use of human milk in our hospitals.
Please let us know how we can assist you in this process and best wishes for a wonderful winter holiday!
