Introduction: The world is facing the pandemic of COVID-19 caused by the corona virus since December 2019 and has caused millions of death throughout the world. Exposure of nursing students in clinical placement during pandemic is fearful and stressful with high risk of infection which can cause anxiety and different levels of psychological crisis to individuals. The main objective of the study is to find out the prevalence of anxiety among nursing students during clinical placement in the pandemic of COVID-19. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 144 nursing students enrolled in different clinical placement of a tertiary hospital of Nepal from 20th January 2021 to 2nd February 2021. Ethical approval was received from the Institutional Review Committee. Demographic, COVID-19 related and Beck Anxiety Inventory questionnaires was used for assessing anxiety. Whole sampling was done. Descriptive statistics was conducted using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 2016 version. Results: Out of 144 females enrolled in the study, all the nursing students 144 (100%) having clinical placement had anxiety. Among them, 117 (81%) had mild anxiety and 27 (19%) had moderate level of anxiety. All the students used coping strategies for the anxiety. The most commonly used strategy to cope with anxiety was religion (5.03±1.78). Conclusions: All the nursing students had anxiety during the clinical placement and all the students used the coping strategies for the anxiety. Majority of the nursing students had mild anxiety. Religion was most common method of strategy to cope with anxiety.

Background: Healthcare workers have a potential risk of COVID-19 as they are at the front line of the COVID-19 outbreak response. This study aimed to assess the potential risk of COVID-19 infection among healthcare workers at COVID -19 treatment center. Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study design was undertaken to conduct this study. A snowball networking sampling method was used to select the participants. Total 387 health care workers participated in the study from July 18, 2020 to September 22, 2020. The WHO COVID-19 risk assessment tool was used to collect data from study participants. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics binary logistic regression were done through SPSS 16 version. Results: There was a high level of occupational exposure (88.9%) to the COVID-19 virus and a higher potential risk of COVID-19 infection (75%) among exposed healthcare workers. Among those who had occupational exposure 7% and 21 % did not use personal protective equipment during healthcare interaction and performing aerosol generating procedures respectively. Male healthcare workers, registered nurses, medical doctors, and auxiliary nurse midwives were found the potential risk of COVID-19 infection. Healthcare workers with less supply of PPE had three times higher potential risk of COVID-19 infection. Conclusions: Healthcare workers had a higher occupational exposure and higher potential risk of COVID 19 infection. Healthcare workers had poor adherence to infection prevention and control measures. Healthcare workers should ensure proper use of personal protective equipment and adherence to infection control measures and adequate supply of PPE must be there to protect the healthcare workers from COVID-19 infection.

Introduction: Early initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth decreases infant morbidity and mortality, and it helps promote exclusive breastfeeding. Despite the benefits of early initiation of breastfeeding, the practice is far from adequate. We aim to identify the barriers to the early initiation of breastfeeding among postnatal mothers. Method: A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out among the postnatal ward of Manipal Teaching Hospital from 1 June to 30 August 2017. Consecutive sampling was used. Ethical permission was obtained. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire, including demographics of mother and infant, and time of initiation of feeding. SPSS was used for descriptive analysis of demographics, and the association of factors for the initiation of early breastfeeding was analyzed to draw the inference. Result: Out of 244 postnatal mothers, the early initiation of breastfeeding was done by 19.7%, and 82.4% provided prelacteal feeds of infant formula. Delayed breastfeeding was associated with caesarean section (OR: 21.99; 95% CI 5.55-87.03), prelacteal feeding (OR: 7.49; 95% CI 2.72-20.66), and lack of antenatal checkup visit (OR: 7.38; 95% CI 2.3-23.73). Conclusion: Early initiation of breastfeeding was low (19.7%) in postnatal mothers, with barriers to breastfeeding identified as caesarean delivery, prelacteal feeding, lack of antenatal checkup visits.

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Introduction: Retention of nurses in any health care facilities is essential for maintaining quality nursing care. Nurses’ job satisfaction is an important issue to retain nurse in same organization. The study aimed to assess factors influencing job retention and satisfaction among nurses. Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study was done among 125 nurses working in Manipal Teaching Hospital. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample. The semi structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The collected data was analysed by using descriptive and inferential statistic. Results: Majority (90.4%) of nurses were in age group 21 to 39 years, 78.4% of nurses wanted to continue their job in current organization. All the nurses agreed on timely payment of salary followed by good working relationship with colleagues (93.6%), feeling proud to tell name of organization (89.6%), adequate supplies and equipment (83.2%), safe working environment (80.6%), opportunity to develop many job skill (81.6%), supportive matron (75.2%), the financial incentives such as bonus and allowance (67.2%), higher salary compared to similar organization (64.8%) are important factors to motivate nurses to retain in current organization. Only half of the nurses (50.4%) were satisfied with their job. The significant correlation was seen between factors influencing job retention and their satisfaction level. Conclusion: The study concluded that timely payment of salary, image of organization, safe working environment and adequate equipment and supplies are important factors to retain in this organization.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly infectious disease declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020, by WHO. As a preventive measure, Nepal was put into lockdown from 24 March to 21 July, 2020 for the first wave of COVID-19 infection. Sudden lockdown prompted the widespread closure of educational institutions. This study aimed to assess the academic and social impact due to COVID-19 lockdown on undergraduate students. Method: A web based cross sectional study was conducted among 403 undergraduate students of Manipal College of Medical Sciences (MCOMS), Pokhara Nepal using the total enumeration method after the ethical approval from Institutional Review Committee (IRC), Manipal Teaching Hospital. Data was collected through online self-administered questionnaires by using Microsoft Form. Analysis of the results was done by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result: High academic (55.6%) and social (53.8%) impact was seen in the students. Female (OR: 1.76; CI 1.1-2.82), Nepalese students (OR: 2.05; CI 1.19-3.51), data pack users (OR: 2.09; CI 1.16-3.78) were more likely to have a high academic impact. Foreign students (OR: 1.88; CI 1.11-3.11) and students having a daily update of COVID-19 (OR: 2.2; CI 1.03-4.66) were more likely to have a high social impact. Conclusion: Academic impact was seen more in female and Nepalese students while the social impact was high among foreign students. Educational activities need to continue in this critical situation. Concerned authorities need to focus on the improvement of digital infrastructure and technology along with the continuation of clinical learning with safety precautions during this pandemic time for better learning among students.

Abstract:Introduction: Parents would undergo stress with their neonate hospitalization in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for any reason.Objectives: The present study aimed to determine stress experienced by parents on hospitalization of their neonate in NICU and the neonate's and parent's characteristics that result in different stress response. Methodology Results:The mean and standard deviation of total stress score was 3.51±0.74 and 3.58±0.70 overall stress and stress occurrence score respectively. The highest stress experienced by parents was relationship with baby and parental role (3.87 ±78) followed by how the baby looked and behaved (3.78±77), sight and sounds of NICU (2.88±1.18). Mothers were found more stressful in regarding their parental role than fathers and economically inactive parents were more stressful in concerning their parental role. The infant characteristics of gestational age resulted in significantly different scores concerning the baby's appearance and behavior. Conclusion:Neonate hospitalization to NICU produces the varying degree of stress to parents mostly on their alteration of parenting role and appearance and behavior of neonate during treatment process. Hence, health care professional of NICU need to develop intervention that is more supportive and responsive to the parents' need.