Korean J Adult Nurs.  2024 May;36(2):136-145. 10.7475/kjan.2024.36.2.136.

The Impact of Operating Room Nurses' Attitudes toward Wearing Personal Protective Equipment, Physical Discomfort, and Obsession with COVID-19 on Perceived Psychosocial Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Study

• Seo YE
• Lee O
• Lee SJ

• KMID: 2556399
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7475/kjan.2024.36.2.136

Abstract

Purpose
This study describes the attitudes toward Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), physical discomfort with wearing PPE, obsession with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and perceived psychosocial stress among operating room nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic and identifies factors affecting perceived psychosocial stress.
Methods
This study used a descriptive, cross-sectional design to evaluate physical discomfort experienced when wearing PPE, attitudes toward PPE, and obsession with COVID-19. We collected the data between December 2020 and January 2021. The participants were 127 nurses who worked in operating rooms at three hospitals in South Korea. Perceived psychosocial stress was assessed using the Psychosocial Well-being Index Short Form. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression.
Results
Having a bachelor's degree (β=.28, p=.031), attitude toward PPE (β=-.22, p=.011), experiencing shortness of breath while wearing PPE (β=.26, p=.008), and obsession with COVID-19 (β=.23, p=.006) were identified as factors affecting the psychosocial stress of nurses who wore PPE and participated in surgery.
Conclusion
Nurses who had a negative attitude toward PPE, experienced shortness of breath while wearing it, and had a high level of obsession with COVID-19 had higher psychosocial stress. To reduce the psychosocial stress of nurses who wear PPE and participate in surgery, we suggest research on education that can reduce repetitive thinking about infectious diseases, such as obsession with COVID-19. Additionally, support is needed to improve positive attitudes toward PPE and alleviate physical discomfort.

Keyword

COVID-19; Nurses; Operating rooms; Personal protective equipment