Post-anaesthesia recovery care on the labour ward.
We conducted a questionnaire survey amongst midwives working in the labour wards of two hospitals within the Trent region. The results show that most of these midwives undertake the care of postoperative patients infrequently and have received little, if any, training. Also, most had not received any guidelines on which to base their practice. Over 80% observed respiratory rate, pulse rate, colour and manual blood pressure with approximately half measuring body temperature. In one hospital, over 90% used an automated blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter. In the second hospital this happened in only 50% of cases. There appears to be some confusion regarding the monitors used postoperatively in that 11% of midwives said that they routinely used a capnometer in this situation.
University of Anaesthesia, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester, UK.
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MC
Fairfield
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D
Bland
M C
MC
Mushambi