J Korean Biol Nurs Sci.  2023 Feb;25(1):63-72. 10.7586/jkbns.23.349.

Intensive care unit nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, perceptions of a safe environment, and compliance with the use of personal protective equipment: a descriptive observational study

• Kim EJ
• Kim H

• KMID: 2548276
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7586/jkbns.23.349

Abstract

Purpose
This study investigated the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of a safe environment, as well as self-reported and observed compliance with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses.
Methods
This study was conducted in October 2021 with 55 nurses working in the medical and surgical ICUs of a general hospital in Seoul. A self-reported questionnaire and an observational tool for compliance with the use of PPE were used to collect data. Result: Except for masks, the observed compliance for all other PPE types was lower than the self-reported compliance. Male nurses showed significantly higher observed compliance than female nurses. Self-reported compliance with PPE use, including “when there is a possibility of contact with objects contaminated with blood or body fluids, mucous membranes, damaged skin, or contaminated skin” (r=.23, p=.015) and “when there is a possibility of contact with blood, body fluids, secretions, or exudates” (r=.27, p=.004) showed significant correlations with knowledge of PPE. In the results for self-reported compliance with PPE use, gown use had a significant correlation with knowledge (r=.24, p<.001) and perceptions of a safe environment (r=.15, p=.016) for PPE, and gloves showed significant correlations with attitudes (r=.14, p=.024) and perceptions of a safe environment (r=.18, p=.003).
Conclusion
The observed compliance with PPE use tended to be lower than the self-reported compliance among ICU nurses. It is necessary to develop and apply an effective educational program that can enhance improve actual compliance with PPE use among intensive care unit nurses.

Keyword

Nurses; Attitude; Compliance; Knowledge; Personal protective equipment; 태도; 수행도; 중환자실; 지식; 개인보호구