Self-efficacy and Knowledge of Nurse Practitioners to Prevent Pediatric Obesity

• This study focused on how an online continuing education program could affect nurse practitioner knowledge about prevention of pediatric obesity and self-efficacy to prevent pediatric obesity in the primary care setting.
• Three hundred and fifty-four nurse practitioner participants completed an online survey and continuing education offering from across the United States.
• A statistically significant increase in both knowledge and self-efficacy were found when comparing pre- to posttest survey responses.
• The study shows that increased knowledge about how to prevent pediatric obesity may increase self-efficacy of nurse practitioners to implement prevention education for children and their parents within the primary care setting.

This study focuses on how an online continuing education program could affect nurse practitioner knowledge about prevention of pediatric obesity and self-efficacy to prevent pediatric obesity in the primary care setting. Three hundred fifty-four nurse practitioner participants completed an online survey and continuing education offering from across the United States. A statistically significant increase in both knowledge and self-efficacy were found when comparing pre- to posttest survey responses. This study shows that increased knowledge about how to prevent pediatric obesity may increase self-efficacy of nurse practitioners to implement prevention education for children and their parents within the primary care setting.