This thesis explores the perceptions of nurses regarding the importance of breastfeeding, the need for lactation education, and the barriers that may be preventing nurses from obtaining lactation education. Nurses working in Minnesota, North Dakota, or South Dakota were the focus. Secondary data from a lactation education needs assessment was used to explore the perceptions and barriers in these states. It was determined that 290 surveys were useable. The Health Belief Model was used to explore the relationship between the nurse's characteristics, perceived breastfeeding importance, perceived need for lactation education, likelihood to take action to obtain lactation education, and perceived barriers to lactation education. Findings from this study indicate that several characteristics of nurses were significantly related to nurses' perceptions of breastfeeding and the need for lactation education. Among several findings, work setting and the level of nursing education were significantly related to nurses' perceptions of the importance of breastfeeding
