Background:

The addition of laboratory bilirubin readings to an algorithm based on pH alone improves prediction of feeding tube location; although reliable pH-teststrips are available, there is no bedside test to measure bilirubin in feeding tube aspirates.

Objectives:

This study was designed to test the efficacy of a bilirubin teststrip with a newly developed scale in measuring the bilirubin content in feeding tube aspirates, and to determine the effectiveness of a combination of readings from pH and bilirubin teststrips in predicting feeding tube location.

Methods:

A total of 631 gastrointestinal specimens for concurrent pH and bilirubin testing were obtained from adult, acutely ill patients with newly inserted feeding tubes (nasogastric, n = 328; nasointestinal, n = 303) within 5 minutes of radiographs taken to determine tube location. In addition, 225 respiratory specimens were tested. Bilirubin was measured with a teststrip incorporating a newly developed colorimetric visual bilirubin (VBIL) scale, and by a laboratory assay, pH was measured with a teststrip and a pH-meter. Results from the bilirubin and pH tests were read by research assistants and staff nurses and compared with tube location as determined by radiography.

Results:

The correlation between readings made from the 5-point VBIL scale and the trimmed laboratory bilirubin was 0.93, with dichotomized readings correlating 0.87 and kappa equal to 0.86. A pH greater than 5 and a bilirubin less than 5 mg/dL successfully identified 100% of the 225 respiratory cases. In the category of pH 5 or less and bilirubin less than 5 mg/dL, 98% of the cases were gastric cases. In the category of pH greater than 5 and bilirubin 5 or higher mg/dL, nearly 88% of the cases were intestinal cases.

Conclusions:

The newly developed VBIL scale is effective in determining the bilirubin content in feeding tube aspirates. Furthermore, compared with predicting tube location from pHpaper alone, dichotomized readings from the VBIL scale/bilirubin teststrip used in combination with a pH-teststrip improved the ability to differentiate between respiratory and gastrointestinal tube placement, as well as between gastric and intestinal tube placement. Refinement of the VBIL scale is indicated to increase its accuracy.

Objective: to describe the lived experiences of autonomous midwives working in Angolan midwifery-led maternity units.

Design: a qualitative approach using semi-structured, audiotaped interviews, in Portugese. Data were analysed in a six-step process.

Setting: three midwifery-led maternity units in the most densely populated suburbs in the capital of Angola, Luanda. The average number of deliveries per unit was 2500 per year.

Participants: II midwives from the three maternity units.

Findings: four main areas emerged: society/culture, significant others, personal self and professional self. Sub-areas, concepts and supporting statements were defined in each area.

Key conclusions: the midwives served within a population living in rough circumstances but which maintained strong traditional roots. The midwives did not support homebirths, but did assist when needed,The midwives described their professional role as a 'calling: which was very independent, Cure, was considered more important than care, and strong emotions were expressed when discussing cases of failure,The partograph was viewed as an important instrument and continuous learning as crucial in their role as autonomous midwives.

Implications for practice: the model of a midwifery-led delivery unit described in this study may be used in other countries facing the same problems as Angola, Difficulties concerning transfer should be seriously considered as well as adequate education for the midwives. A pre-requisite in order for peripheral maternity units to have any impact on maternal morbidity and mortality, is a well-organised first-referral level.

The aim of this study was to explore how various factors influenced women's decisions regarding place of confinement in Luanda, Angola. Ten focus group discussions were conducted with pregnant and nonpregnant women residing in suburban areas of Luanda and the data were analyzed using the grounded theory technique. Four patterns of action of the main theme, "the molding of women'scare-seeking behavior during childbirth," were identified: (I) the "labor process 'on-course' avoiding pattern"; (II) the "labor process 'off-course' avoiding pattern"; (III) the "labor process 'on-course' approaching pattern"; and (IV) the "labor process 'off-course' approaching pattern." Our findings indicate that personal "courage" and social support empowered women and impacted on their preference for home birth, whereas demand for informal user fees and perceived low quality of care influenced women to avoid institutional care during childbirth, sometimes even in spite ofcomplications. Ability to meet demands for informal user fees and knowledge of childbirth influenced women to seek institutional care. The study highlights the need to improve the quality of available maternal health care addressing the implicit educational, attitudinal, and ethical issues.

The aim of this study was to observe and analyze midwifery care routine related to asphyxia and hypothermia during the perinatal period and to investigate the effect of an in-service education program. A direct non-participant pre-and post intervention observation study of midwifery a performance during childbirth was conducted at a labour ward in Maputo. The observed groups consisted of 702 and 616 midwifery –attended deliveries. Examination was also conducted of the partographs (702 vs. 616). The quality of midwifery care related to prevention and early detection of asphyxia and hypothermia was found to be inadequate and the intervention had no significant effect upon the midwives' performances. This could be attributed to the quality of the intervention itself or to failure of implementing managerial decisions such as transfer to partograph documentation from obstetricians to midwives. Change in professional performance does not automatically follow awareness of evidence-based midwifery practices, but requires behavioural change, which may be more difficult to achieve.

Our purpose in this study was to explore the midwives' perception of factors obstructing or facilitating their ability to provide quality perinatal care at a central labor ward in Maputo. In-depth interviews were undertaken with 16 midwives and were analyzed according to grounded theory technique. Barriers to provision of quality perinatal care were identified as follows: (i) the unsupportive environment, (ii) nonempowering and limited interaction with women in labor, (iii) a sense of professional inadequacy and inferiority, and (iv) nonappliance of best caring practices. A model based on the midwives' reflections on barriers to quality perinatal care and responses to these were developed. Actions aimed at overcoming the barriers were improvising and identifying areas in need of change. Identified evading actions were holding others accountable and yielding to dysfunction and structural control. In order to improve perinatal care, the midwives need to see themselves as change agents and not as victims of external and internal causal relationships over which they have no influence. It is moreover essential that the midwives chose actions aiming at overcoming barriers to quality perinatal care instead of choosing evading actions, which might jeopardize the health of the unborn and newborn infant. We suggest that local as well as national education programs need to correspond with existing reality, even if they provide knowledge that surpasses the present possibilities in practice. Quality of intrapartum and the immediate newborn care requires a supportive environment, however, which in the context of this study presented such serious obstacles that they need to be addressed on the national level. Structural and administrative changes are difficult to target as these depend on national organization of maternal health care (MHC) services and national health expenditures.