Nurses’ perception and compliance with personal protective equipment and hand hygiene during the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background Healthcare workers' (HCWs) compliance with infection prevention and control (IPC) measures during the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial to reducing the spread of infection to their colleagues, families, and community. This study assessed the risk perception and compliance with personal protective equipment (PPE) usage, hand hygiene, and specific IPC measures and explored the factors associated with compliance among nurses during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt. Methods A hospital-based cross-sectional survey was conducted at the Alexandria Main University Hospital (AMUH) in Alexandria city from May to August 2021, where 354 nurses were included with a response rate of 94.9%. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results The overall compliance with PPE usage, hand hygiene, and IPC measures was 81.9%. The mean risk perception score was 40.9 ± 3.3. More than 95% of nurses were aware of the high risk of COVID-19 infection at their workplace, the serious consequences of the disease, and the risk that can be minimized by using PPE, whereas a relatively low percentage of nurses believed that the risk of COVID-19 infection could be reduced by using a surgical mask (19.2%) or gloves (50.5%). Good compliance was independently predicted by risk perception (OR = 1.25; 95% CI = 1.13, 1.39), and knowledge about PPE usage and hand hygiene (OR = 3.53; 95%CI = 2.40, 5.19). Facilitators of compliance with the PPE usage were attending suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases in their hospital ($$\overline{x}$$ x ¯ = 9.82), comfort to use the PPE ($$\overline{x}$$ x ¯ = 9.16), availability of PPE ($$\overline{x}$$ x ¯ = 8.96), hospital policy ($$\overline{x}$$ x ¯ = 8.74), and senior compliance ($$\overline{x}$$ x ¯ = 6.5). Conclusions Nurses at AMUH reported high risk perceptions. The rate of compliance with PPE usage, hand hygiene, and IPC measures was 81.9%. The personal risk perception and knowledge about the PPE usage and hand hygiene are the keys to improving compliance in a healthcare facility.

Risk Factors for SARS-CoV-2 Among a Cohort of Healthcare Workers in Lebanon

“…The high level of PPE adherence among HCWs may be attributable to the ability of AUBMC to secure enough quantities of PPEs in times of national shortage and the continuous training of AUBMC staff on infection control measures. Our results are consistent with previous reports from the region (Alajmi et al, 2020; Al Marzouqi et al, 2023; Elshaer & Agage, 2022; Nasrabadi et al, 2021; Zangoue et al, 2021). Our results are also in agreement with previous studies reporting that working in a high-risk versus general department, suboptimal handwashing before or after patient contact, longer working hours, improper PPE use, and having a family member diagnosed with COVID-19 were associated with increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infections among HCWs (Chou et al, 2020).…”

Factors Influencing Occupational Health and Safety among Nursing Students in Their Clinical Placements: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Our study indicated that the nursing students were most often exposed to occupational risks when providing routine care to patients, performing interventions in emergency services, and recapping needles after use. Our findings are somewhat consistent with other studies, in which students stated that the most likely reasons for occupational injuries were a lack of PPE use, inexperience, and long working hours [11,19]. Nursing programs and healthcare facilities should foster a culture of workplace safety that ensures the well-being of nursing students.…”

“…According to Elshaer et al, student nurses' opinions regarding PPE use were predominantly positive, indicating that they received education in this area. The authors found that nursing students utilized protective items at a relatively high rate [19]. We observed significant differences in risk control and evaluation between academic levels.…”

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Hand Hygiene, Mask Use, and Social Distancing among Public Hospital and Polyclinic Nurses in Barbados during the Coronavirus 2019 Pandemic

“…These findings compare favorably to a recent study in Pakistan (70.9% and 43.6%, respectively) (16). However, an Egyptian study reported that a minority of nurses (19.2%) indicated that mask wearing effectively reduces risk COVID-19 infection [ 33 ].…”