Out and about: Factors associated with nurses' use of COVID-19 personal protective behaviors when not at work
Carolyn Huffman1, Nathaniel O'Connell2, Melina Burns3
1Wake Forest Baptist Health, Center for Nursing Research, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA.
Aim:
To characterize nurses' engagement in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention promoted personal protective behaviors (PPBs) outside the work setting during the COVID-19 pandemic and factors that inform engagement in these behaviors.
Background:
Nurses' health is of vital importance to the functioning of the healthcare system. Little is known as to what informs nurses' use of PPBs outside the work setting.
Design:
Cross-sectional survey study.
Settings:
A large healthcare system in the southeastern region of the United States.
Participants:
Nine hundred fifty eight registered nurses.
Methods:
Participants surveyed during the week of September 14th. Survey contained questions regarding factors that may be linked to nurses' compliance with PPBs.
Results:
The most frequently reported behavior practiced outside work was "cover mouth with cough or sneeze." Concern for COVID-19 infection and confidence in masks to control the spread of COVID-19 were positively related to both frequency and number of protective behaviors engaged in (p < .01), while fatigue was inversely related to engagement with PPBs (p = .01). There was some evidence that viewing self as role model may predict behavior.
Conclusions:
Personal factors drive engagement with protective behaviors outside the work setting. Implications for nursing management and education are explored.
Related Concept Videos
01:22The Professional Nurse
Communication skills: These are critical characteristics, especially speaking and listening.
01:26Standard Precaution
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
01:26Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
01:16Nurses' Legal Responsibilities III
Cultivating a culture of collaboration and mutual respect among nurses transcends mere enhancement...
01:30Current Trends in Nursing II
01:25Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...