Introduction Labor pain is the worst imaginable pain that women experience during their childbearing years. Untreated labor pain has numerous negative consequences, for both the mother and her fetus. Low levels of awareness and attitudes among pregnant women about labor analgesia is a major challenge that affects outcomes for both the mother and fetus. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the awareness of, attitude towards and desire for labor analgesia and its associated factors among pregnant women who visited an antenatal care facility. Methods An institution-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from February to March 2019. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires by a convenience sampling technique. Data were entered using EpiData 4.2 and exported to SPSS version 20 software for analysis. Both bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analysis were used to identify factors associated with awareness, attitude and desire for labor analgesia among pregnant women. Crude odds ratio (COR) and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) were calculated to show the strength of association. Results A total of 410 participants were included. Thirty-three (8%) of the pregnant women who visited the antenatal care facility were found to have an awareness of labor analgesia. In multivariate analysis, the likelihood of having awareness of labor analgesia was 7.227 times (AOR: 7.227, 95%, CI 2.406–21.720) greater among parous versus nulliparous mothers. The odds of having awareness of labor analgesia were 3.133 times (AOR: 3.133, 95%; CI 1.144–8.581) greater among government employees than among housewives. The odds of having a good attitude towards labor analgesia were 6.488 times (AOR: 6.488, 95% CI 1.894–22.227) higher in government employees than in farmers. Women in the age group of 25–31 years were 1.815 times more likely to want labor analgesia for their next delivery (AOR: 1.815, 95% CI 1.103–2.989). Conclusions The awareness of labor analgesia among pregnant women was low. There is a need for teamwork by all stakeholders in health sectors to improve attitudes and increase the desire for labor analgesia among pregnant women who visit antenatal care facilities.

Background: Cesarean section is the commonest obstetric procedure worldwide and pain is the leading compliant during the postoperative period. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and factors associated with postoperative pain after cesarean section at a University Hospital in Northwest Ethiopia. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted among parturients who underwent cesarean section. After obtaining ethical approval, 299 parturients were approached. The numerical rating scale was used to measure pain severity. The association between variables was determined at 95% CI with binary logistic regression. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 290 parturients were included with a response rate of 97%. The overall prevalence of moderate to severe postoperative pain after a cesarean section was 85.5% (95% CI: 81.4– 89.0%) within the first 24 postoperative hours. On the multi-variable analysis, preoperative anxiety (AOR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.1– 4.9), history of previous cesarean section (AOR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.1– 5.0), Pfannenstiel incision (AOR: 3.2, 95% CI: 1.3– 8.0) and absence of regional analgesia (AOR: 3.7, 95% CI: 1.7– 7.9) were significantly associated with moderate to severe postoperative pain after cesarean section. Conclusion: The prevalence of moderate to severe pain in the first postoperative day was unacceptably very high. Parturients who had preoperative anxiety, history of previous cesarean section, Pfannenstiel incisions, and those who did not receive regional analgesia have significantly suffered from postoperative pain. Pain severity needs to be assessed and documented by using pain-rating scales and interdisciplinary pain management should be provided.

Administering oxygen therapy plays an essential role in preventing and managing acute and chronic hypoxemia. This study assesses the level of practice of nurses on oxygen therapy in critically ill patients and associated factors. An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 23 to June 07, 2021, at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia. A self-administered structured and validated questionnaire was used. It has a socio-demographic characteristics, multiple choice questions, items that measure the possible associated factors and items were used to assess level of knowledge. Data were entered using Epi-data version 4.6 and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Descriptive and inferential statistics were analyzed and presented. The Chi-Square test was used to measure the strength of associations between variables. Binary and multiple logistic regression were used, a p-value of< 0.2 and < 0.05 were considered statistically significant, respectively. A total of 400 nurses participated in the study, with a response rate of 94.8%. The overall proportion of good practice on oxygen therapy for critically ill patients was 47% (95% CI: 43–51.8). Age >39 years (AOR; 3.17, 95% CI: 1.42–7.08), nurses have good knowledge on oxygen therapy (AOR; 1.74, 95% CI: 1.11–2.74), labeling of the volume of the cylinder after use (AOR; 2.51, 95% CI: 1.36–4.63), were significantly associated with good practice on oxygen therapy in critically ill patients. We concluded that there was a gap in the practice of oxygen therapy among nurses. Therefore, regular educational and training programs about oxygen therapy are needed to increase the level of practice among nurses. In addition practical training sessions should be organized for nurses to update their practice on the latest guidelines on oxygen therapy for critical ill patients.

Background: Approximately 1–2% of pregnant women undergo non-obstetric surgery under anaesthesia during their pregnancy. This review specifically targets anaesthesia management for pregnant women undergoing non-obstetric surgery in resource-limited settings. Methods: Following the delineation of primary questions, scope, and inclusion criteria, a comprehensive search strategy utilizing advanced techniques was implemented across electronic sources, databases, and websites to identify relevant articles. A rigorous screening process was applied during the literature evaluation. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 statement guided the conduct of this review, ensuring adherence to standardized reporting practices. Results: A total of 240 articles were initially identified from databases and websites. After screening titles and abstracts, 85 papers were excluded, and an additional 43 were removed due to duplication. Subsequently, 68 items were subjected to eligibility screening. Finally, 30 papers that specifically addressed anaesthetic considerations for pregnant women undergoing non-obstetric operations were reviewed. Conclusion: Thorough preoperative evaluation is essential for all patients, with particular attention to modifications in anaesthetic management to accommodate physiological changes during pregnancy. Urgent and emergent surgeries should proceed promptly during pregnancy to optimize outcomes for both the mother and foetus. Maintaining uteroplacental perfusion generally involves avoiding maternal hypoxaemia, hypotension, hyper- and hypocapnia, temperature extremes, and stress. When deemed safe, regional anaesthesia may offer favourable outcomes for both the mother and foetus.

Introduction. Laryngospasm is a glottis closure due to reflex constriction of the laryngeal muscles. It can occur at any phase of the anesthetic. Different studies have been done previously with various results and indicative values which initiated us to do this research. This study aimed to assess the incidence and associated factors of laryngospasm among pediatric patients who underwent surgery under general anesthesia (GA). Methods. Institution-based, cross-sectional study was conducted on pediatric patients from February to August, 2019, in University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (UOGCSH). Data were entered and analyzed with SPSS version 20. Variables with value less than <0.2 in bivariate analysis were fitted into the multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with laryngospasm. Both crude and adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI were calculated to show strength of association. In multivariable analysis, value of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results. The incidence of laryngospasm among pediatric patients who underwent surgery under GA was 57 (18.4%). Of this, 34 (59.6%), 12 (21.1%), and 11 (19.3%) happened during emergence, maintenance, and induction phases of GA, respectively. In multivariable analysis, airway anomalies (AOR: 14.64, 95% CI: 1.71, 125.04), secretion (AOR: 2.45, 95% CI: 1.19, 5.06), attempts of airway devices (AOR: 2.47, 95% CI: 1.16, 5.22), upper respiratory tract infection (AOR: 2.91, 95% CI: 1.008, 8.41), and inadequate depth of anesthesia (AOR: 7.92, 95% CI: 2.7, 23.22) were significantly associated with incidence of laryngospasm. Conclusions. Laryngospasm can occur at any phase of the anesthetic. At UOGCSH, the overall rate of laryngospasm was 18.4%, with the vast majority of episodes occurring on emergence. Inadequate depth of anesthesia, URTI, airway anomalies, multiple attempts of airway devices, and oropharyngeal secretion were predictors of laryngospasm. So, added vigilance is needed in patients with URTI, airway anomalies, or those who require multiple attempts at airway device insertion. Prompt clearing of airway secretions and adequate depth of anesthesia may help to prevent laryngospasm. Since the majority of our patients received an IV induction, endotracheal intubation, and maintenance with halothane, caution must be taken in extrapolating these results to other patient populations.

Administering oxygen therapy has an essential role in preventing and managing hypoxemia in both acute and chronic conditions. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitude and factors associated with oxygen therapy for critically ill patients among nurses. An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 23 to June 07 at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, in 2021. A self-administered, structured and validated questionnaire was used. It has socio-demographic characteristics, multiple choice questions, items that measure the possible associated factors and items that were used to assess the level of knowledge and attitude. Epi Data (“The EpiData Association” Odense, Denmark) version 4.6 was used to enter data, and SPSS (IBM) version 20 was used to analyze it. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify associated factors. Variables with a p value < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The overall proportion of critically ill patients with good knowledge and a positive attitude toward oxygen therapy was 33% (95% CI: 25.8–37.8) and 53.8% (95% CI: 49–59), respectively. Age (AOR; 1.738, 95% CI: 1.034–2.921), level of education (AOR; 7.731, 95% CI: 2.507–23.846) and guideline (AOR; 4.338, 95% CI: 2.233–8.428) and good level of practice (AOR; 1.885, 95% CI: 1.173–3.030) were discovered to be significant factors associated with good knowledge towards oxygen therapy and the reading guideline was found to be a significant factor associated with a positive attitude toward oxygen therapy (AOR; 1.396, 95% CI: 0.830–2.348). and recommendations: The level of knowledge was low, whereas the attitude of nurses was positive towards oxygen therapy. Reading guidelines, older aged nurses, master holder nurses, and good practice were significant factors associated with good knowledge of oxygen therapy, and reading guidelines was statistically associated with a positive attitude toward oxygen therapy. Thus, nurses need to be aware and skillful regarding the updated oxygen therapy guidelines. They should improve their level of education.