• P Adnet, A Diallo, J Sanou, M Chobli, I Murat, and E Fian.
• Service d'accueil et d'urgence, hôpital R-Salengro, CHU, Lille, France.
• Ann Fr Anesth Reanim. 1999 Jun 1; 18 (6): 636-41.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the practice of anaesthesia in French-speaking subsaharian countries.Type Of StudyProspective survey.PersonsTwo hundred seventeen nurse anaesthetists, from 11 different countries.MethodsAnonymous questionnaire.ResultsOne third of nurses were practising anaesthesia since less than five years and 1/3 since more than 10. Only 39 (18%) were working in the country side. Thirty seven (17%) had been trained outside subsaharian Africa (in Cuba 6%, France 5%, Morocco 5% and Germany 1% respectively). Two hundred thirteen (98%) were performing general anaesthesia and 169 (78%) regional anaesthesia. Hundred sixty eight (97%) used spinal anaesthesia, 57 (33%) epidural, 31 (18%) intravenous regional anaesthesia, 24 (14%) axillary block, 17 (10%) caudal block and 10 (6%) peripheral block respectively. For regional techniques, disposable devices were available in 50% of cases. For general anaesthesia, thiopental was administered by 193 (89%) and ketamine by 156 (72%) nurse anaesthetists respectively. In 50% of cases, these drugs were used alone. An ECG was available in 40%, a pulse oximeter in 14% and a capnographe in less than 2% of cases. A ventilator was present in 66% of the places, but used only in 30% of them because of the lack of maintenance and training.ConclusionsIn this study, 50% of nurse anaesthetists were working alone. However, this rate is probably under-estimated, as the questionnaire did not consider anaesthesia practice in the country side.

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